Without realizing it, our American society is designed to keep most everyone at an infant and child level of RM (relational maturity). This is true of families and also true of the government. Let’s look at some simple, basic examples.
As a RM infant I am totally dependent on my mother or someone to keep care and provide for me. This is a very vulnerable time for me as an infant. I learn to holler, demand, and eventually politely ask, but I am still at the mercy of my provider whether they have my best interest in mind or not. My mother or parent is my provider and source. The next maturity level is that of a child.
As a relational child I learn the rules and learn how to keep care of myself. However, life is mostly about me and my wants, needs and desires. I will be quick to point out when you are not following the rules and are disrupting or blocking the sources I had as an infant. At this point if I do not continue to mature, I can feel desperate and easily fall into the lines of thinking that are destructive. Such as: “Since you aren’t providing for me and being a source for me then I will obtain what I want and need by whatever means I desire.” (such as stealing, looting, rioting, not paying my bills,). I feel entitled and you, or the rich, or society, or someone in control is keeping “it” from me.
If as as the person in charge of you, I continue to provide for you and your wants, I am keeping you at an infant level of maturity. You will continue to see me as your source. You will always be searching for the next place to get free hand outs. With the “rules” I will continue to expect and demand that you step up to the plate and provide for me. After all, you had me so you are responsible for me. The government has all these programs and I demand my share because I am a blue martian who came from outer space. I am not responsible for myself, you are. Sadly many governments want to keep people as relational infants because they can have control of them. (“I vote for my source.”)
A really simple way of keeping everyone at infant level maturity is to continually feed them. We even do this by eating out or ordering in. We are now dependent on someone else to fix our food for us. And, even deliver it to us. So, as an infant, I have no clue how to shop wisely, cook, or feed and care for myself. I will stay at this level and it will cost me dearly because the relational infant or child raising me has not taught me anything except to totally depend on someone else. Even if I have the money from somewhere to pay, I am still a relational infant. This same thought process expands into housing.
As a society, we have lost the family concept taught in the scriptures and this has spread into our government programs. Scripture warns us about idleness and tells us that “The person who refuses to work, doesn’t eat.” We shouldn’t even be eating free food if we aren’t willing to work. 2Thess.3:10,6-15. There are now endless classifications separating us all into separate categories of relational infants who are now to be housed and fed by the government.
This is a major cause for a lot of the idle “homeless” in our society. Why should I work since you feed me. We learn by example and the American example is keeping society at an infant level of relational maturity. The solution to all of this is for everyone to continue to mature relationally so that everyone becomes a producer and provider for others in the family as they mature. 1Cor.13:11