reflections on the actual State of the Union
Like a good American citizen, I watched President Trump's State of the Union address tonight. With a literal bowl of popcorn and my phone at the ready to text my politically minded friends, I settled in and tuned in to CSPAN's narration-free coverage of the 2020 speech. It did not disappoint. I laughed. I cried. I raged. I applauded. And then I really perked up. After the speech, after the President had left the chamber and the Speaker had dissolved the joint gathering and after the Democratic response from the Michigan governor, CSPAN opened up their lines to callers. The first two were exactly what you'd expect - the pro-democrat thought it was too showy and too "campaigny" and the pro-republican thought it was great because Trump is the greatest etc. But nearly every other caller after that was a person who set party aside and courageously spoke truth.
The truth is that faith, justice, morality, selflessness, ethics, equality, duty, hard work, courage, honesty, respect, dignity, education, children, and Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness are good things to be celebrated, honored, and protected regardless of party; however, the actual State of the Union is that a portion of our population and majority of our elected officials can't even applaud let alone agree on those most basic of good things. But here's the thing, it's not a party problem. It's a worldview problem. Because the real State of the Union is that our nation is divided over Truth: God's truth vs. man's truth. God's truth is never changing, while man's truth is ever-changing. God's truth is beneficial to all, but man's truth is beneficial to those who make the rules. God's truth brings freedom and prosperity, but man's truth brings despair and bondage. God's truth is given to man through His Word, while man's truth is the result of his rejection of God.
And there it is. Without God's Word we have no measuring rod of morality, we have no justification for saying what is right or wrong. No God? No justice, no selflessness, no equality, no ethics, nothing good at all. And that's why some people couldn't clap for the life of a baby but could clap for a bridge. That's why faith in school appalled some and thrilled others. That's why some stood for justice while others sat. Their actions gave away their worldview. Their regard or disregard for the Word of God was evident whether consciously or unconsciously. Ideas have consequences, and the idea that God isn't necessary in government or a nation... well... we've been getting a taste of those consequences.
But what about you? Do you filter your politics, your ethics, your actions through the Word of God or through the "wisdom" of man? Because your ideas have consequences, too.
The truth is that faith, justice, morality, selflessness, ethics, equality, duty, hard work, courage, honesty, respect, dignity, education, children, and Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness are good things to be celebrated, honored, and protected regardless of party; however, the actual State of the Union is that a portion of our population and majority of our elected officials can't even applaud let alone agree on those most basic of good things. But here's the thing, it's not a party problem. It's a worldview problem. Because the real State of the Union is that our nation is divided over Truth: God's truth vs. man's truth. God's truth is never changing, while man's truth is ever-changing. God's truth is beneficial to all, but man's truth is beneficial to those who make the rules. God's truth brings freedom and prosperity, but man's truth brings despair and bondage. God's truth is given to man through His Word, while man's truth is the result of his rejection of God.
And there it is. Without God's Word we have no measuring rod of morality, we have no justification for saying what is right or wrong. No God? No justice, no selflessness, no equality, no ethics, nothing good at all. And that's why some people couldn't clap for the life of a baby but could clap for a bridge. That's why faith in school appalled some and thrilled others. That's why some stood for justice while others sat. Their actions gave away their worldview. Their regard or disregard for the Word of God was evident whether consciously or unconsciously. Ideas have consequences, and the idea that God isn't necessary in government or a nation... well... we've been getting a taste of those consequences.
But what about you? Do you filter your politics, your ethics, your actions through the Word of God or through the "wisdom" of man? Because your ideas have consequences, too.
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