Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
Proverbs 18:21
The Lord gifted me with a quick wit and a sharp tongue. I generally have a ready response for most situations. When I get angry, rather than getting flustered or loud, logic sets in with the capability to slice and dice an opponent to shreds. It isn’t pretty. Nor is it godly.
At about the age of 16 I believed I had the response for any situation. At 19, I began to understand that delivering the response did not always mean I won the battle. As a wife, I learned that volume could not be substituted for logic. When I became a parent I realized that sarcasm and wit was wasted on a three-year-old. Not to mention the fact that delivering the perfect line did nothing to improve a toddler’s behavior and it often got thrown back at me later.
After the age of 35 I began to work in public policy and came to understand the power of words when delivered to and twisted by the media. It was at this point that I began to realize that most people who believe the media misquoted them actually said exactly what was printed; it just wasn’t what the speaker meant. I learned to measure my words more carefully to ensure that when reading a quote of something I said, everyone would understand exactly what I meant.
Now, in my fifties (old, advanced in years) I more fully understand the concept that death and life are in the power of the tongue. I also know that, because our words do have so much power, we have a responsibility to curb what it is we say. I cringe when I hear a child belittled for spilling a drink in a restaurant. When I hear a wife disparaging her husband, it is all I can do to not warn her (ok, sometimes I do chime in) of the damage she is doing to her marriage and the self esteem of the husband she loves.
This message has come home to roost so strongly that I find I cannot even find joy in sneering at or ridiculing liberals. Don’t get me wrong, I still find socialists, liberals and ill-advised individuals annoying. And, in all honesty, I don’t mind speaking ill of socialism, liberalism or stupidity, but I now try to confine my rantings to policies, rather than to people.
Next time you are watching the news, discussing politics, driving in traffic or playing with a child, remember that the words you speak have the power of life and death in your life, the life of the person to whom you are speaking, and the life of the person about whom you are speaking.
That’s a lot of power.
Think about it.
And, that would be the reason why your mother always said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
Lord, help us to guard our tongues and to speak life to those around us.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Yellow Dog
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Proverbs 17:28
It is a difficult time in the State of Texas. Hurricane Ike, a storm of historic magnitude slammed into the coast last week leaving mayhem and destruction in its path. Galveston Island was heavily damaged, cities were literally wiped off the map, and Houston suffered extreme water and wind damage. To the credit of those in authority, mandatory evacuations prevented the loss of life seen in similar storms in the past. But still, lack of electricity, shortages of gasoline and problems with the water supply are making life difficult for those who have weathered the storm.
In our family, one of the consequences of the storm is that my husband’s parents are staying with us for an undetermined amount of time. Initial estimates were that electricity would not be restored at their home for five weeks. That estimate has since been reduced to a more realistic three to four weeks. Jerry and I have been married for 35 years. I am richly blessed with in-laws who truly consider me to be their daughter. There is no question that I am loved. Likewise, I love and respect my in-laws as if they were my own parents.
So, you ask, “What’s the big deal?”
Well, I am a rather ardent conservative and my father-in-law is a yellow dog democrat. For those who don’t know, a yellow dog democrat is one who would vote for a yellow dog on the ballot before they would vote for a republican. I did not understand the concept myself until shortly after my husband and I were married. It was then that I made the mistake of announcing, in my father-in-law’s house, that I intended to vote for a republican in the upcoming election. I was young, it was the first election in which I could vote, and I did not realize that there were some things that should not be shared in mixed company. Imagine my surprise when I was invited to leave my in-laws’ home for my announcement.
OK, technically, he kicked me out. Back then, I was too hard-headed to apologize for offending my father-in-law. But, I was also too sensitive to take the news without crying. Jerry followed me out of the house, telling his dad, “I don’t sleep with you” when asked where he was going. I cried all the way home as Jerry tried to explain to me that there were some things his dad was just set in his ways about.
Now, 35 years later, our differences continue. We are in the middle of one of the most contentious political races I have ever seen. But, we are not at my father-in-law’s house. We are at MY house. Instead of watching FOX News, I have compromised and turn on MSNBC where we are bombarded with political coverage of the candidates. My father-in-law would still vote for a yellow dog. I’m still going to vote republican.
What’s the difference? I love my in-laws too much to make politics an issue. I know that to discuss politics would be foolish and recognize the proverb to be true. If I will just keep silent I will be considered wise. Sometimes the rule applies in other situations, too.
Lord, give grace and mercy to those who are dealing with the consequences of this hurricane. Conform us to Your image as we work through the day to day issues of those who are displaced from their homes.
Proverbs 17:28
It is a difficult time in the State of Texas. Hurricane Ike, a storm of historic magnitude slammed into the coast last week leaving mayhem and destruction in its path. Galveston Island was heavily damaged, cities were literally wiped off the map, and Houston suffered extreme water and wind damage. To the credit of those in authority, mandatory evacuations prevented the loss of life seen in similar storms in the past. But still, lack of electricity, shortages of gasoline and problems with the water supply are making life difficult for those who have weathered the storm.
In our family, one of the consequences of the storm is that my husband’s parents are staying with us for an undetermined amount of time. Initial estimates were that electricity would not be restored at their home for five weeks. That estimate has since been reduced to a more realistic three to four weeks. Jerry and I have been married for 35 years. I am richly blessed with in-laws who truly consider me to be their daughter. There is no question that I am loved. Likewise, I love and respect my in-laws as if they were my own parents.
So, you ask, “What’s the big deal?”
Well, I am a rather ardent conservative and my father-in-law is a yellow dog democrat. For those who don’t know, a yellow dog democrat is one who would vote for a yellow dog on the ballot before they would vote for a republican. I did not understand the concept myself until shortly after my husband and I were married. It was then that I made the mistake of announcing, in my father-in-law’s house, that I intended to vote for a republican in the upcoming election. I was young, it was the first election in which I could vote, and I did not realize that there were some things that should not be shared in mixed company. Imagine my surprise when I was invited to leave my in-laws’ home for my announcement.
OK, technically, he kicked me out. Back then, I was too hard-headed to apologize for offending my father-in-law. But, I was also too sensitive to take the news without crying. Jerry followed me out of the house, telling his dad, “I don’t sleep with you” when asked where he was going. I cried all the way home as Jerry tried to explain to me that there were some things his dad was just set in his ways about.
Now, 35 years later, our differences continue. We are in the middle of one of the most contentious political races I have ever seen. But, we are not at my father-in-law’s house. We are at MY house. Instead of watching FOX News, I have compromised and turn on MSNBC where we are bombarded with political coverage of the candidates. My father-in-law would still vote for a yellow dog. I’m still going to vote republican.
What’s the difference? I love my in-laws too much to make politics an issue. I know that to discuss politics would be foolish and recognize the proverb to be true. If I will just keep silent I will be considered wise. Sometimes the rule applies in other situations, too.
Lord, give grace and mercy to those who are dealing with the consequences of this hurricane. Conform us to Your image as we work through the day to day issues of those who are displaced from their homes.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Walking in wisdon
He who trusts in his own mind is a fool; but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
Proverbs 28:26
Time and experience have taught me that I am horrible at keeping tack of details unless I make a concerted effort to do so. Though the years I have come to understand it has a lot to do with the way my brain is wired. (That’s an explanation – not an excuse.)
For example, I can tell you I have read a paper on health care, what issues it covers, where it was from and what the picture on the front page looked like. But, chances are, if I filed the paper away I will not be able to tell you where I put it. I don’t call it filing. I call it playing hide and seek with myself. The solution is to hire a really good administrative assistant and bribe them with whatever it takes to keep them happy. They may not know what the content of the paper was or why you want it back, but they can always retrieve it for you.
When I went to work in the Capitol after 14 years as a stay at home mom, time management became a big issue for me. Juggling parenting, service as a school board member, working a legislative session and being a wife proved to be a formidable task.
I had to train both myself and my three children that my brain was not a sticky note and if they expected me to take action on an issue or be at a particular place at a specific time, they needed to make sure the issue was entered into my Day-timer. I explained to them that they might go to school for 12 years and have a graduation coming up, but if the date of the ceremony was not on my Day-timer there was no promise of my attendance. In fact, my children were the only ones given the authority to write a date in ink on my calendar.
Now, I also walked as wisdom as a parent. Those appointments that required my attendance that my children may not have had an incentive to place on the calendar – meetings with teachers, PTA meetings, doctors’ appointments – were entered by me.
My Day-timer, since augmented by a computer and Blackberry, catches all my appointments, notes on phone conversations, lists of things to do and any other pertinent information I may need to retrieve at some time in the future. My adult children (or husband) may still call my administrative assistant to make sure she puts an event of importance on my calendar. Or, they may send me a reminder on my Blackberry. Time and experience have expanded that proverb so that they understand the truth of “He who trusts in mom’s memory is a fool.”
The take away message for today is that it is folly to limit yourself to what your mind can handle. Walking in wisdom includes things as simple as finding and using the tools that enable you to amplify your effectiveness and as complex as trusting the Lord for the next answer you may be asked to give.
Just as learning to trust a Day-timer system to get you where you are supposed to be at the right time must become a habit, walking in wisdom must become habitual. Study Proverbs, spend time in prayer, and apply what you learn. Then, make it a habit to do it all again daily.
Eventually, you look around and find out that somewhere along the way began walking in wisdom.
Lord, thank you that your wisdom is available for those who seek it.
Proverbs 28:26
Time and experience have taught me that I am horrible at keeping tack of details unless I make a concerted effort to do so. Though the years I have come to understand it has a lot to do with the way my brain is wired. (That’s an explanation – not an excuse.)
For example, I can tell you I have read a paper on health care, what issues it covers, where it was from and what the picture on the front page looked like. But, chances are, if I filed the paper away I will not be able to tell you where I put it. I don’t call it filing. I call it playing hide and seek with myself. The solution is to hire a really good administrative assistant and bribe them with whatever it takes to keep them happy. They may not know what the content of the paper was or why you want it back, but they can always retrieve it for you.
When I went to work in the Capitol after 14 years as a stay at home mom, time management became a big issue for me. Juggling parenting, service as a school board member, working a legislative session and being a wife proved to be a formidable task.
I had to train both myself and my three children that my brain was not a sticky note and if they expected me to take action on an issue or be at a particular place at a specific time, they needed to make sure the issue was entered into my Day-timer. I explained to them that they might go to school for 12 years and have a graduation coming up, but if the date of the ceremony was not on my Day-timer there was no promise of my attendance. In fact, my children were the only ones given the authority to write a date in ink on my calendar.
Now, I also walked as wisdom as a parent. Those appointments that required my attendance that my children may not have had an incentive to place on the calendar – meetings with teachers, PTA meetings, doctors’ appointments – were entered by me.
My Day-timer, since augmented by a computer and Blackberry, catches all my appointments, notes on phone conversations, lists of things to do and any other pertinent information I may need to retrieve at some time in the future. My adult children (or husband) may still call my administrative assistant to make sure she puts an event of importance on my calendar. Or, they may send me a reminder on my Blackberry. Time and experience have expanded that proverb so that they understand the truth of “He who trusts in mom’s memory is a fool.”
The take away message for today is that it is folly to limit yourself to what your mind can handle. Walking in wisdom includes things as simple as finding and using the tools that enable you to amplify your effectiveness and as complex as trusting the Lord for the next answer you may be asked to give.
Just as learning to trust a Day-timer system to get you where you are supposed to be at the right time must become a habit, walking in wisdom must become habitual. Study Proverbs, spend time in prayer, and apply what you learn. Then, make it a habit to do it all again daily.
Eventually, you look around and find out that somewhere along the way began walking in wisdom.
Lord, thank you that your wisdom is available for those who seek it.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Iron Sharpens Iron
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17
It is a joke in my office (sort of) that I am not paid to agree with my boss. It is true that the representative I work for has specifically told me he is not paying me to agree with him. The joke is the thought that anyone could pay me to agree to anything.
But, it is a common error that people in power (or who want to be in power) surround themselves with likeminded people and do not entertain ideas which are not already their own. My boss has taught me the lesson that he already knows what he thinks. What he needs is to hear from people who will challenge him to think more deeply or differently about a circumstance to determine whether he should stay the course or change direction.
And so, my job is to analyze policy from a conservative perspective. I am paid to tell my boss what I know about a policy issue and how that issue will promote or violate conservative philosophy. Once I have done that, and not until I have done that, do I get to tell him what I think about a policy issue. The fact that I have worked with this particular legislator off and on for 15 years generally means we can reduce our conversations to shorthand or facial expressions because he pretty well knows what I think.
But, I do try to expand my horizons beyond those who agree with me in both my professional and personal life. In policy it is always good to know what lies ahead by understanding beliefs, motives and intentions of those in the arena. In the personal arena of my life I find I have learned the most about myself when I am put in circumstances that make me feel like a fish out of water.
Several years ago I went on a missions trip with a group of like-minded individuals to work in an orphanage in Turkey. Going into the trip, my greatest concerns were whether I would find anything I would be willing to eat (I’m picky) while I was there and how I would be able to communicate. I am so language illiterate that I can’t even speak Pig Latin.
Those concerns were quickly overshadowed when I entered the orphanage. In Turkey it is illegal to proselytize. So, Christian groups are only allowed to work with severely disabled children. Language is not a barrier when the children you work with are non-verbal. A hug and a smile convey the message. What I would eat or drink was not a consideration when I was told that children in that facility die every year from dehydration because there is no one to hold a cup to give them a drink of water.
The entire week was a series of what I know conflicting with what I was seeing. Sharing cups spreads germs. But a shared cup beats no cup. Unsafe playground equipment is a risk. But when a child may get outside only once every six months because there is no one there, you play around the risks. When I walked into a room with 20 disabled children on the floor it could be a depressing sight, except for the great joy that would light up on their faces just seeing us enter.
The moral of the story: Take the challenge to determine whether what you believe stands up to scrutiny. Don’t ever be afraid to sharpen the iron. The very best time to change direction is immediately after you determine you are headed the wrong way.
Lord, help us to see beyond our preconceptions and biases and see your perspective in all things.
Proverbs 27:17
It is a joke in my office (sort of) that I am not paid to agree with my boss. It is true that the representative I work for has specifically told me he is not paying me to agree with him. The joke is the thought that anyone could pay me to agree to anything.
But, it is a common error that people in power (or who want to be in power) surround themselves with likeminded people and do not entertain ideas which are not already their own. My boss has taught me the lesson that he already knows what he thinks. What he needs is to hear from people who will challenge him to think more deeply or differently about a circumstance to determine whether he should stay the course or change direction.
And so, my job is to analyze policy from a conservative perspective. I am paid to tell my boss what I know about a policy issue and how that issue will promote or violate conservative philosophy. Once I have done that, and not until I have done that, do I get to tell him what I think about a policy issue. The fact that I have worked with this particular legislator off and on for 15 years generally means we can reduce our conversations to shorthand or facial expressions because he pretty well knows what I think.
But, I do try to expand my horizons beyond those who agree with me in both my professional and personal life. In policy it is always good to know what lies ahead by understanding beliefs, motives and intentions of those in the arena. In the personal arena of my life I find I have learned the most about myself when I am put in circumstances that make me feel like a fish out of water.
Several years ago I went on a missions trip with a group of like-minded individuals to work in an orphanage in Turkey. Going into the trip, my greatest concerns were whether I would find anything I would be willing to eat (I’m picky) while I was there and how I would be able to communicate. I am so language illiterate that I can’t even speak Pig Latin.
Those concerns were quickly overshadowed when I entered the orphanage. In Turkey it is illegal to proselytize. So, Christian groups are only allowed to work with severely disabled children. Language is not a barrier when the children you work with are non-verbal. A hug and a smile convey the message. What I would eat or drink was not a consideration when I was told that children in that facility die every year from dehydration because there is no one to hold a cup to give them a drink of water.
The entire week was a series of what I know conflicting with what I was seeing. Sharing cups spreads germs. But a shared cup beats no cup. Unsafe playground equipment is a risk. But when a child may get outside only once every six months because there is no one there, you play around the risks. When I walked into a room with 20 disabled children on the floor it could be a depressing sight, except for the great joy that would light up on their faces just seeing us enter.
The moral of the story: Take the challenge to determine whether what you believe stands up to scrutiny. Don’t ever be afraid to sharpen the iron. The very best time to change direction is immediately after you determine you are headed the wrong way.
Lord, help us to see beyond our preconceptions and biases and see your perspective in all things.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Grab that dog by the ears!
He who meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
Proverbs 26:17
With basset hounds as the dogs of choice around our house, this verse looses some of it’s “umph.” A basset not only doesn’t care if you grab them by the ears, I think they may actually enjoy it. Our oldest basset, Samuel, has ears almost long enough to vie for the world record. Each ear is about a foot long. Of course, they are mostly designed to drag along the ground and funnel smell into his nose and not to enhance his hearing or listening abilities.
But, I digress. For purposes of today’s scripture, we will assume the dog in question is not a basset and that taking one by his ears will result in the loss of your hand or other significant injury. Perhaps the writer of this proverb was speaking from experience.
So it is when you intervene in an argument where you have no business. For example, as a grandmother, I never intervene when my daughter and granddaughter are engaging. (One reason is not my great wisdom so much as the fact that having raised the daughter, watching her with her daughter is a great spectator sport.) Likewise, disagreements between couples when your advice has not been requested are a “don’t go there” situation. That dog will always come back to bite you. If you sincerely care about someone, do not allow them to dump on someone they care about to you. Generally, God will give them the grace to overcome the circumstances, but you may yourself holding a grudge because that grace has not extended to you.
But, the flip side of this issue is not that people are meddling in quarrels not their own as much as people are failing to engage in the battles they should be in. There are quarrels going on in our society today about key core values that many are failing to engage in. What is the definition of marriage? Does it matter if that definition changes? Who is responsible for the education and upbringing of children? Is it parents? Is it the “village?” If it is the village, who is responsible to pick up the pieces when the village idiots fail? Why is killing unborn babies ever acceptable or legal? How much is too much on the tax rate?
I will never forget the first time I “grabbed the dog by the ears” on a public policy issue. I was not involved in politics or policy at the time. I was just a mom and I took exception to the school district refusing to let me see a copy of a test my children were taken. Once I got a hold of that dog, I refused to turn loose. It resulted in my serving on a local school board, working on the re-write of the Texas Education Code and being launched on the path where I walk today.
Along the way that dog chewed on me quite a bit. But, it is always better to be bitten for something you are supposed to do than for something you weren’t supposed to do. And, I would far rather sport the scars of those battles than suffer the consequences of refusing to battle.
So, go get caught up on your shots and grab some dogs by the ears!
Lord, give us wisdom in choosing our battles. Give us the courage of our convictions.
Proverbs 26:17
With basset hounds as the dogs of choice around our house, this verse looses some of it’s “umph.” A basset not only doesn’t care if you grab them by the ears, I think they may actually enjoy it. Our oldest basset, Samuel, has ears almost long enough to vie for the world record. Each ear is about a foot long. Of course, they are mostly designed to drag along the ground and funnel smell into his nose and not to enhance his hearing or listening abilities.
But, I digress. For purposes of today’s scripture, we will assume the dog in question is not a basset and that taking one by his ears will result in the loss of your hand or other significant injury. Perhaps the writer of this proverb was speaking from experience.
So it is when you intervene in an argument where you have no business. For example, as a grandmother, I never intervene when my daughter and granddaughter are engaging. (One reason is not my great wisdom so much as the fact that having raised the daughter, watching her with her daughter is a great spectator sport.) Likewise, disagreements between couples when your advice has not been requested are a “don’t go there” situation. That dog will always come back to bite you. If you sincerely care about someone, do not allow them to dump on someone they care about to you. Generally, God will give them the grace to overcome the circumstances, but you may yourself holding a grudge because that grace has not extended to you.
But, the flip side of this issue is not that people are meddling in quarrels not their own as much as people are failing to engage in the battles they should be in. There are quarrels going on in our society today about key core values that many are failing to engage in. What is the definition of marriage? Does it matter if that definition changes? Who is responsible for the education and upbringing of children? Is it parents? Is it the “village?” If it is the village, who is responsible to pick up the pieces when the village idiots fail? Why is killing unborn babies ever acceptable or legal? How much is too much on the tax rate?
I will never forget the first time I “grabbed the dog by the ears” on a public policy issue. I was not involved in politics or policy at the time. I was just a mom and I took exception to the school district refusing to let me see a copy of a test my children were taken. Once I got a hold of that dog, I refused to turn loose. It resulted in my serving on a local school board, working on the re-write of the Texas Education Code and being launched on the path where I walk today.
Along the way that dog chewed on me quite a bit. But, it is always better to be bitten for something you are supposed to do than for something you weren’t supposed to do. And, I would far rather sport the scars of those battles than suffer the consequences of refusing to battle.
So, go get caught up on your shots and grab some dogs by the ears!
Lord, give us wisdom in choosing our battles. Give us the courage of our convictions.
Monday, August 25, 2008
The American Dream
Disclosure: My devotionals for the next few days may consider material that is political in nature. My goal is to apply scripture to the governing process. I will vote Republican in the upcoming election. The Republican candidate was neither my first nor my second choice for who I would like to see in the White House. My choice is based on the application of the Word of God to the circumstances at hand. The single thing that would make me change my vote would be a conviction by the Holy Spirit that I am wrong in that application.
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
Proverbs 25:2
Yesterday we finished the media coverage of “all Olympics all the time” and today we have begun the “all Democrat Convention all the time” coverage. Truthfully, I probably won’t record much of it to review at a later date. (Same goes for the Republican Convention, by the way.) In fact, my personal choice would be to ignore the entire thing if I could.
However, when the Lord made me and decided I would be a policy analyst, He created within me an inquiring spirit that prevents me from taking anything for granted, makes me question even what I know, and requires me to strive to understand what makes people both agree or disagree with me.
So the internet engine was revved up this morning after I heard a reporter refer to Democrat candidate Barack Obama as the “embodiment of the American Dream.” I’m confused. I have read The Blueprint for Change, Obama’s plan for America. I couldn’t imagine how those policies could equate to the embodiment of what I consider to be the American Dream. Then I began to wonder, what exactly is meant when they (then media, politicians, etc.) use the term “The American Dream?” What is the history of that term? Has it changed with time?
The American Dream was a phrase first used in 1931 in the book The Epic of America written by James Truslow Adams. He said:
The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.
The light bulb came on for me. Obama has achieved the American Dream. Against great odds, he came from a difficult childhood to be a candidate to run to be president of the United States. The problem is, his policies indicate that he doesn’t trust in other people’s ability to do the same. While hard work and personal initiative might have worked for him and his family, his policies indicate that other people cannot achieve the same results without government assistance.
At least, I hope that is what he believes. The alternative is that he understands that political power is increased when you make a constituency enslaved to the government dole.
Lord, show us how to search out the things You would have us know about the candidates who want to lead us. Give us wisdom during this election cycle.
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
Proverbs 25:2
Yesterday we finished the media coverage of “all Olympics all the time” and today we have begun the “all Democrat Convention all the time” coverage. Truthfully, I probably won’t record much of it to review at a later date. (Same goes for the Republican Convention, by the way.) In fact, my personal choice would be to ignore the entire thing if I could.
However, when the Lord made me and decided I would be a policy analyst, He created within me an inquiring spirit that prevents me from taking anything for granted, makes me question even what I know, and requires me to strive to understand what makes people both agree or disagree with me.
So the internet engine was revved up this morning after I heard a reporter refer to Democrat candidate Barack Obama as the “embodiment of the American Dream.” I’m confused. I have read The Blueprint for Change, Obama’s plan for America. I couldn’t imagine how those policies could equate to the embodiment of what I consider to be the American Dream. Then I began to wonder, what exactly is meant when they (then media, politicians, etc.) use the term “The American Dream?” What is the history of that term? Has it changed with time?
The American Dream was a phrase first used in 1931 in the book The Epic of America written by James Truslow Adams. He said:
The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.
The light bulb came on for me. Obama has achieved the American Dream. Against great odds, he came from a difficult childhood to be a candidate to run to be president of the United States. The problem is, his policies indicate that he doesn’t trust in other people’s ability to do the same. While hard work and personal initiative might have worked for him and his family, his policies indicate that other people cannot achieve the same results without government assistance.
At least, I hope that is what he believes. The alternative is that he understands that political power is increased when you make a constituency enslaved to the government dole.
Lord, show us how to search out the things You would have us know about the candidates who want to lead us. Give us wisdom during this election cycle.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Fools
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
Proverbs 18:2
If you have known me or read anything I have written for very long, you have probably heard me say, “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.” I wish I could take credit for coming up with that, but the first time I heard it was when Rep. Warren Chisum used it on the House floor in response to a question he was answering for the third or fourth time. When I told him how much I enjoyed it, he shared that it was not original with him, but a line that the late Lt. Governor Bob Bullock used on a regular basis. So, now that I have appropriately credited it, I get to use it at will.
And, it is an appropriate thought in light of today’s verse. Unlike many chapters in Proverb which focus on wisdom, Chapter 19 speaks to being a fool. Of course, foolishness is the flip side of wisdom and it serves us well to have examples of actions that depict a fool. Sometimes it is a matter of judgment when we classify someone as a fool. Other times, it is just a matter of applying the facts to the situation and stating the obvious. At that point, it is not judgment, and if the truth hurts, maybe it shouldn’t be the truth.
The political realm does not have a monopoly on fools who only want to express their own opinion. However, it is difficult during campaign season to prove that. Political campaigns are the time for drawing lines and saying “this is where I am on this issue and this is where I will not go on the issue.” So, it takes some research on the part of the voter to determine whether the candidate he is about to vote for is a fool.
And, here is the point where the voter may prove to be a fool. If a candidate does not agree with me on an issue, there is a mutual responsibility to attempt to understand the other person’s point of view.
Do I agree with the political position that women should have the freedom to choose to abort a pregnancy?
No.
Do I understand that some people truly believe that abortion prevents unintended consequences from an unexpected pregnancy?
Yes.
Understanding my opposition’s point of view does not mean that I have to agree with them or change my mind. It doesn’t even mean I have to compromise to reach an agreement. It doesn’t mean I should vote for them. But, it does generally show me where I can give information to counter their position and it always opens my eyes to how to pray over the situation.
A person who is misled on issues near to God’s heart (myself included) has a lot bigger problems than wining or losing an election or policy position.
Lord, please give me an understanding heart and guard my tongue
Proverbs 18:2
If you have known me or read anything I have written for very long, you have probably heard me say, “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.” I wish I could take credit for coming up with that, but the first time I heard it was when Rep. Warren Chisum used it on the House floor in response to a question he was answering for the third or fourth time. When I told him how much I enjoyed it, he shared that it was not original with him, but a line that the late Lt. Governor Bob Bullock used on a regular basis. So, now that I have appropriately credited it, I get to use it at will.
And, it is an appropriate thought in light of today’s verse. Unlike many chapters in Proverb which focus on wisdom, Chapter 19 speaks to being a fool. Of course, foolishness is the flip side of wisdom and it serves us well to have examples of actions that depict a fool. Sometimes it is a matter of judgment when we classify someone as a fool. Other times, it is just a matter of applying the facts to the situation and stating the obvious. At that point, it is not judgment, and if the truth hurts, maybe it shouldn’t be the truth.
The political realm does not have a monopoly on fools who only want to express their own opinion. However, it is difficult during campaign season to prove that. Political campaigns are the time for drawing lines and saying “this is where I am on this issue and this is where I will not go on the issue.” So, it takes some research on the part of the voter to determine whether the candidate he is about to vote for is a fool.
And, here is the point where the voter may prove to be a fool. If a candidate does not agree with me on an issue, there is a mutual responsibility to attempt to understand the other person’s point of view.
Do I agree with the political position that women should have the freedom to choose to abort a pregnancy?
No.
Do I understand that some people truly believe that abortion prevents unintended consequences from an unexpected pregnancy?
Yes.
Understanding my opposition’s point of view does not mean that I have to agree with them or change my mind. It doesn’t even mean I have to compromise to reach an agreement. It doesn’t mean I should vote for them. But, it does generally show me where I can give information to counter their position and it always opens my eyes to how to pray over the situation.
A person who is misled on issues near to God’s heart (myself included) has a lot bigger problems than wining or losing an election or policy position.
Lord, please give me an understanding heart and guard my tongue
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)