A lesson that's been impacting me lately has been that we need to make up our own minds. I need to make up my own mind. You need to make up your own mind. Too often we let culture, friends, family, our church, etc. make up our minds for us; and we fail to think through things on our own, check out full facts, and un-stick the stigma from our cluttered minds.
One area I feel this happens way too often in is politics. How rarely can political information be shared without bias and drama free??
I've been learning to make up my own mind about President Obama. As I've mentioned before in my other blogs on politics, the one thing I know about our President now and all political leaders is that we as Christians are to treat them with respect, period. That alone has spurred much of my frustration with some of the comments I've heard from some Christians and Republicans.
If I didn't make up my own mind, I would think that Obama was a Muslim and the anti-Christ. I would think that he is that absolute worst thing that could happen to America.
It seems that we are super skilled on dishing dirt, spreading negativity, and rolling in the drama. If a hint is made or rumor heard that can be added to the "what is this world coming to" bash-wagon then by all means, let's jump on!
Yet when I try to make up my own mind I see things quite differently. Is our president perfect? Of course not. Are there things I disagree with Obama on? Of course. But with all the negativity I've heard from others, I was shocked to hear the following speech from Obama himself. I shouldn't be surprised that his Easter prayer breakfast speech was not facebooked, tweeted, or newsflashed like the other less-than-positive comments have been, because it doesn't fit with what we want to think about Obama. I wonder, if one of the up-and-coming Republican candidates had given this speech, would it have been talked about and praised? Instead, I'm sure there will be some excuse made for this speech of Obama's and many faults found.
But in my own mind, I find this speech refreshing, courageous, and inspiring. Especially as our President shares of Easter...
"It's an opportunity for us to reflect on the triumph of the resurrection, and to give thanks for the all-important gift of grace. And for me, and I'm sure some of you, it's also a chance to remember the tremendous sacrifice that led up to that day, and all that Christ endured- not just as a Son of God, but as a human being. So it is only because Jesus conquered His own anguish, conquered His fear, that we're able to celebrate the resurrection. It's only because He endured unimaginable pain that wracked His body and bore the sins of the world that He burdened- that we are able to proclaim 'He is risen!'"
I hope you listen to the full speech below:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/04/04/president-obama-hosts-easter-prayer-breakfast_n_1402871.htm
Thanks for sharing this link. You are on to so many things here...lots to think about.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, the first time I read the transcript of President Obama's speech, I found myself desperately searching for things to disagree with. I found myself thinking, "He doesn't really believe in Jesus, this is just a political move."
Sure, I might have changed a few phrases if I had given the speech...but why was my natural inclination to think of the speech in negative terms? The fact that I first saw the President's speech in negative terms isn't so much a reflection on him or the speech...it's a reflection on me and my heart.