March 25, 2010 9:00 AM
Serving a troubled world
Tripp sent me this the morning of the 2008 elections:
I think that's what makes us all so vulnerable. It is a hurting world and somehow Americans have been persuaded that we are entitled to be happy. That's never going to happen. But as someone who walked without Jesus for 38 years, I will say that walking with Him has made a difference in my life - not in terms of taking away the pain and sadness, but in terms of putting it in perspective and using it to help me grow in compassion for others.
This is why I get so indignant at those with leadership abilities who play to their constituency's hurts and fears with promises of being able to make the world perfect. Many who pinned - and still pin - their hopes on Obama are responding to this kind of manipulation, this setting up of a false dichotomy where one side cares and one doesn't. It seems so cold and cynical to be in that position with the responsibility of leading people and building a message of "hope" on a foundation of dissatisfaction and ingratitude.
I like this reminder from Tripp to see that at heart we're all the same, all working on issues - hopefully growing and transcending individually.
But as someone who has found a Savior, I don't need Barak to - as Michelle says - fix everything for me. I'd rather lose my house and face the consequences like a grown up than demand that my government tax my fellow citizens to make my life easier.
The morning of the election, I wrote:
And the bottom line - no, 2 bottom lines:1) I will vote against the most pro-abortion candidate in the United States
2) I will vote against a regime run by people who are not proud of our country
When Obama won, I set aside all I knew about his history, his associations, his tactics and his ideology (284 posts) - and advised my readers to do the same (see As we welcome our new president). I was willing to give him the benefit of a doubt.
But he and his cohorts have done so much more damage to our republic, our population and our way of life than we could possibly have imagined.
I will continue to resist and to inform my readers about what is happening. But I encourage you to master the art of staying informed while keeping your eyes on God. As Jesus said:
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.~Matthew 10:16~
No matter what happens, we need to continue living our lives as we have before - trying our best to serve others - seeing them through those special glasses in the video Tripp shared with me that fateful morning.
I want you all to know how much you mean to me. I pray for my readers daily and while I do not participate much in the comments section - a time issue - I treasure your input here.
Posted in Inspiration, Opportunities to give | Permalink
Comments
Thanks for the post. With everything going wrong with our government's leadership these days it is easy for me to give in to the impulse to turn inward and away from those around me. To not want to keep trying to help others who voted to elect Obama to "fix" things for them. As a first generation American whose parents came from Eastern Europe I have grown up both seeing the emotional damage done and hearing about the damage of communist and socialistic systems. My family experienced soviet concentration camps, separations, and extreme poverty before coming to America and building a new life built on the freedom and personal responsibility this nation offered. Seeing our nation turn away from that freedom and personal responsibility has been so painful for me. I pray that our nation can return to those principals that made our nation something different and valuable.
Posted by: Diane | March 25, 2010 5:12 PM
