You can wash swine flu from your hands, but not this . . .

It is a little late on Sunday to begin a post, but it may be an important week for the soul of Alabama, and I wanted to get a head start.

A couple of things that Jesus said have really been on my mind lately.

"Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God."

"What you have done to the least of these my children, you have done to me."

If you live in Alabama, many of the state services you enjoy are paid for by the excruciating choices of the poorest among us; food or medicine, insurance or tires, shoes or jackets, necessities or absolute necessities.

We in Alabama tax food so that we can have the state services we want. Four percent of the grocery bill may be insignificant to those of us to whom much has been given, but to the least among us it could mean life, or at least a more bearable life.

It is morally wrong to tax food. There is no excuse.

But for a follower of Jesus, it should bring grief.

We could change it this week as the legislature will probably consider abolishing the state sales tax on groceries. Call your legislator. Call all the legislators. It may be brought up as early as Tuesday. Call Monday. Call others to call. Then call on Tuesday.

If we do nothing, they will do nothing.

It is easy to wash our hands of this injustice. That crazy legislature just won't do right. We've given the responsibility for justice or injustice to Caesar haven't we?

But they might do right, if we ask them. Do it for the least of these. But don't do nothing. Because that responsibility cannot be given to Caesar. It is mine. It is yours. If nothing is done, it is because we did nothing. If the least among us are saddled with cruel injustice and oppressive tax on the necessities of life, it is us that are inflicting that pain on them and the One who loves them. But at least we won't have to have tougher choices about what vacation to take, what car to buy, or where to send our child to college.

What we do or fail to do for the least, the last and the lost affects them. But it defines us.

Let's begin to re-define Alabama. Call some legislators today, and tomorrow.

Go to Alarise.org for phone numbers.

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