I like Garrison Keillor. That might be a surprising statement coming from a conservative but I have had many a time in the past chuckling to the stories in the Lake Wobegon books. I have even seen him in person, twice. One time was at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and another time in Brevard, NC. Yet I am on a completely different planet than he apparently regarding politics. That’s OK, but it does bother me some because when I read what he writes sometimes, like this morning, I really believe he is blind to considerations that he maybe does not want to see. For example, today in his commentary, he is writing about the real value of journalism and he makes the following statement about President-elect Trump – “the American people have elected to high office a conman and fabulist…” and I cringe because it is apparent to me that another side of the coin of reasons why a person might vote for Trump are invalidated completely by the statement of what Garrison Keillor thinks about Donald Trump. But I just put it all to the side and went on to what I really wanted to do this morning and what that was, to read my Bible in my time I try to set aside in the mornings.
I am currently reading through the Gospel of Matthew and I turned to Matthew 6. This chapter begins with the warning Jesus is giving about doing things to bring attention to yourself like sounding a trumpet before you on the way to giving to the needy. That really is an interesting mind image! He also warns about being a hypocrite and praying so others can notice you. He points out that the volume of words in addressing God do not guarantee He hears you. Then Jesus goes on to teach how to pray in verses 8-13, a portion I read frequently to set up the parameters of true prayer in my mind.
Ok, so how are these two preceding paragraphs connected? They are connected by the opinions and actions of man.
“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness, and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future – all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” 1 Corinthians 3:18-23
There have been thirteen Presidents in office since I have been born. All these men brought their humanity to the table along with their political parties: Dwight D. Eisenhower; John F. Kennedy; Lyndon B. Johnson; Richard M. Nixon; Gerald R. Ford; Jimmy Carter; Ronald Reagan; George Bush; William J. Clinton; George W. Bush; Barack Obama; Donald J. Trump; Joseph R. Biden Jr. My head swims with the thought of doing the research of all their Administrations and the good and bad of it all. This would put in context this present time a bit and I wish that would happen to lessen the narcissistic tendencies of humans evaluating our current situation in the United States of America as if we have never been challenged before in this country with problems that needed solving. I recently shared with one of my children that the perspective you have entering a decade of your life will surely change when you leave it, looking back. Humility and prayer need to permeate pragmatic evaluations for prudent decisions. We just don’t know it all but there are plenty of know-it-alls. God help me from joining their ranks as I endeavor to fulfill a burden to write.
So in closing I guess what I am trying to convey is to feed yourself a healthy dose of humility as you maneuver through this life. Don’t follow blindly the crowd or the political swarms that rise like cicadas. The trumpet-blowing givers and the loud-mouthed supplicants were both most likely just repeating cultural norms.
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