Christianity is definitely not for sissies. It is so much easier just to run with the crowd. I remember Gypsy Smith said; “It takes a live fish to swim against the current, it takes a dead one to flow with it.” I want to leave you with this thought: “in order for evil to abound, all that good people have to do is nothing”. It’s better that we never knew the truth, than to know and to not speak up. The sixteenth president of the United States of America, who was murdered for his stand on the abolishing of the slave trade, Abraham Lincoln, , wrote a letter to his son’s school teacher when his son went to school for the first time:
He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true, but teach him, however, that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him for every enemy, there is a friend. Steer him away from envy. If you can, teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to lick (beat). Teach him if you can the wonder of books, but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal, the mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and the flowers on a green hillside.
In the school, teach him it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong. Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and to be tough with the tough. Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the band wagon. Teach him to listen to all men, but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through.
Teach him if you can how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tears; teach him to scoff at synics and to beware of too much sweetness. Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders, but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if he thinks he is right. Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel.
Let him have the courage to be impatient. Let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself because then he will have sublime faith in mankind. This is a big order, but see what you can do…
He is such a fine fellow, my son!”
My dear friends we need to be courageous, we need to stand up and be counted, we need to get back to basics, we need to protect our family and by so doing protect our nation.
Yours in Christ
Angus & Jill Buchan & the Shalom team