Thought for Today
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Isaiah 2:11 The haughty eyes of people shall be brought low, and the pride of everyone shall be humbled; and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
Mark 7:21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly.
Galatians 6:4 All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a cause for pride.
hubris “exaggerated pride or self-confidence : arrogance” (www.merriam-webster.com)
Currently here in New England, a prominent public figure is attempting to cope with having been exposed in questionable behavior. Embarrassing photos were published in a newspaper and that public figure is attempting to do ‘damage control.’ After an initial attempt to portray the allegations of misconduct as risible, he is now embarked on a campaign of honest admission and of presenting “the best version of me.” Credit must at least be offered for his latest response. It is better than the comment offered by the wife of a prominent politician who responded to disclosure of her husband’s behavior with, “Boys will be boys.”
Public disclosure of inappropriate and/or immoral behavior is nothing new. As you ponder on what I am writing today, take a few minutes to read 2 Samuel 12 and the story of Nathan confronting David about Bathsheba. Nathan told David a story about injustice. When David righteously said, "2 Samuel 12:5 . . . As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; . . . 7 Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; . . . 9 Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight?”
I have been interested by the current stories about public behavior of prominent people in our society. It seems apparent that the ‘damage control’ I mentioned above has been carefully orchestrated to minimize the impact to that public figure. Several days transpired between the initial revelation and the campaign about presenting “the best version of me.” The whole campaign seeks to avoid the seemingly obvious question of why that public figure . . . all public figures . . . all people would not always behave so as to present the best versions of themselves?
Long ago, the prophet Micah wrote, “6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” The word humbly only has 6 letters. Which letter causes so many problems for so many folks? Is it so difficult for public figures . . . for any of us to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God? Does hubris always trump humility?
I must admit that I never much thought about the philosophical theories about ethics until I went to seminary. My siblings and I were raised to the standard of “The end never justifies the means.” In seminary, I came to understand that idea of the ends justifying the means is known as Teleology. My mom was not a teleologist.
I also was raised with the truth of the words of Lord Acton, “The phrase ‘power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ was said by Lord Acton, a 19th-century British historian and politician. He expressed this sentiment in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887, highlighting his belief that unchecked power poses a significant threat to moral integrity.” (Copilot Search)
Will boys always be boys? Must boys always be boys? Must all of us inevitably fall prey to the corrupting influence of prominence and power? I believe God has gifted all of God’s children with the free will to always present the best version of themselves. We are not mindless automatons, condemned to succumb to the temptations of prominence and power.
Boys can grow up to be men. Girls can grow up to be women. All of us have the free will to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. We just need to do so! Always. Every time. In every circumstance. Privately. Publicly. We have the choice to always be the best version of ourselves. We just need to do it.
Stay safe, always act like a child of God, trust God,
Pastor Ray