BEYOND UNDERSTANDING

I could not contain my excitement Thursday night, November 3^rd, upon hearing the news on TV that this is now the “Golden Age of Infrastructures,” as what mentioned by a cabinet secretary.  That means, dear friends, happy days are here again, for ordinary construction laborers particularly, for their foremen, and especially for contractors, yes, public works contractors in our country.

Yes, the “usual suspects,” undefeated-in-bid contractors who were responsible for so many irresponsible handling of public works projects like a national highway.  Take for example that portion of the national road along Barangay Trapiche, the area's only a few meters long, but alas, it seems its construction would reach eternity.

My friend Lec told me the difference between our contractors and other countries’ contractors, who are mostly of good reputation, is a regard for motorists’ concern and safety while their men are working.  There, neon signs and lights around the affected area at night are always blinking and glaring, while here, only during the day we’d see tarpaulins that say, “Please Travel Early” if not “Slow Men Working.”

(Boy, who are they to order us to travel early, say, at four o’clock in the morning when our thoughts are still on a twirl?  Like other men with much pride to feel, I do not often let anyone tell me what to do, and if I do it is usually a pretty girl.)

And look at the quality of their work, say, at the boundary between Barangays Maninila and Dingle, which was as if done in a flash, where commuters and motorists from Iloilo to Antique would pass.  There, reduce not speed, and if you belong to a new generation, you’d exclaim in aghast, “Wagas!” if you belong to mine, you’d hear Doña Delilah’s yelling again John Porontong’s alias:  “Hudas-Hestas-Barabas!”

But we can’t avoid insensitive and inconsiderate if not unconscientious contractors in our midst as some are said to be in cahoots with the corrupt in our society.  Therefore, if you are a true Christian you only have to grit your teeth and bear such burden—not arms—upon yourself, knowing these contractors have full authority.

Christians are taught by the God of humility through His principles and precepts that they must submit themselves to human authority even if it’s tough (1 Pet.2:13).  Sages say government authority could come only from the consent of the people, yet, in essence, it’s anointed by God (Rom.13:1), thus, “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Sam.15:23).

We know how to be submissive, we learn to be long-suffering.  For we have that “peace of God that passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).