God to US: “You Didn’t Create That”

I don’t claim to be able to actually speak for God, but here is a message I can almost imagine God wanting to give our country, addressed to the president:

Dear President Obama:

I heard that little stump speech you gave last month in Roanoke that’s gotten so much attention. And yes, I would have to agree that your “You didn’t build that” statement was taken way out of context. It doesn’t take supernatural wisdom to know that what you meant was that people shouldn’t get too arrogant about their success, as though it were based totally on their individual efforts, without the benefit of assets like schools, roads, bridges and the internet made possible in part by government.

But you can get a little arrogant, too, Mr. President, in seeing government as something you and other human beings have built by themselves. Government itself, as you know, is something I instituted in order to reward good behavior and to check evil behavior in the world. In your speech, you left out the part about me, the most important means to any kind of success by anyone, anywhere, in any endeavor.

So here’s what I would like to say directly to the American people, and to everyone on earth:

If you are faring well, and have become successful in what you do, remember that the good health, the good opportunities, the good support and encouragement, and the good mind you had to accomplish whatever you accomplished were all gifts from your Creator. In addition, all of the raw materials you used to build whatever you built were gifts I placed here on the planet for you to use. You didn’t create that, and should never waste, misuse, or take for granted these priceless assets.

And remember, I not only invented the idea of government, necessary as that is, but I also created families to help take care of you, to raise you, to teach you values like hard work and honesty that helped you succeed. You didn’t provide that.

And while I’m at it, I haven’t been at all pleased with everything you Americans have done to get to where they are today. It was not my plan, for example, to have native Americans, African Americans and American workers generally being treated the way they have been in the past.

So, Mr. President, be sure to quote me on this, and quote me often, “You didn’t create that.”