Fear.

When those well-meaning architects of the Welfare State in the 1940s, Bevin, Bevan, Gaitskell, Attlee and Beveridge to name but a few, were speaking of 'the cradle to the grave', they envisaged a world without fear; a new utopia where the unemployed would gain a fair deal and the sick would never want for care. Heady ideals indeed.
Sadly not so. Tragically - this became an encouragement for the grabbers, the feckless and the abusers of benefits. On the topic of graves, you wonder if these excellent men might not now be turning in theirs.
We live in an age where you have no fear if you are arrested, prosecuted or dealt with by a court.
We live in an age where you have no fear if you choose to be unemployed.
We live in an age where you have no fear if you deliberately lose a job.
We live in an age where, however reprehensible your behaviour at work, you need have no fear as it is almost impossible to be sacked.
We live in an age where, if you get into debt through stupidity or fecklessness, you need have no fear of the consequences of your actions.
We live in an age where, if your promiscuity leads to disease or pregnancy, you need have no fear.
You need not fear police, teachers, prison officers, magistrates, judges or even prison itself.
You need not fear if you butcher others as you will never have your own life threatened.
I am sure that you could add many more to the list.
It may sound strange to say, but a society without fear is a bad society. All must be aware of the consequences of their actions.

Ironically, many decent people fear to leave their houses or go out after dark.
In a spiritual sense we are ultimately answerable to God but in a civic sense we are likely to have our bad behaviour 'understood' and excused.
Eliminate all fear and you end up with the mess we see today.

PSALM 111:10. "The Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom."

Photo: Lord Beveridge.