Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday September 4, 2008

While on vacation the wife of my youth and I were sitting at the foot of the bed watching the unveiling of Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin. When Mrs. Palin walked to the podium, I noticed the great blonde scooted a little closer to me, and it was observable that many women in the audience at Dayton also scooted a little closer to their man. Keep in mind the bumper sticker that states: "Alaska is The Coldest State With The Hottest Governor" and you might well think that the women responded to her appearance in an attempt to assure their hubby's that they, too, were at least warm creatures thus assuring their open mouthed hubbies that any attention to Sarah had better be kept on the political level.

And now we are being told that all comments concerning Mrs. Palin's and Mr. Obama's families, including but not limited to; spouse, children, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, boy or girl friends of children, holding's in left or right wing companies, color of skin, gender, taking of drugs at around age 22 or DUI at around age 22, or any personal smear is off limits.

The rhetoric concerning the above mentioned off limits items would cause many to think that such name calling is a new weapon in the war zone we call elections. Such is not the case. Take the following quote for example which appeared in a recent widely read article in major news outlets around the country when one Presidential candidate referred to his opponent as:

"A hideous hermorphradictical character which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."

This flattery was offered concerning the high caliber of John Adams by the Virginia gentleman, Thomas Jefferson.

In Western Society (Christendom) brutal criticism has long been the weapon of choice, which while it does hurt, is good preparation for life at any level. President Truman said it best, "If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen."

Mr. Truman's advice is very good for pastors as well as politicos.

One of the keys to living a successful life is to learn the skill of letting criticism run off of your skin like water off of a duck's back, before it sinks into your heart. Developing this skill is necessary even for Christians to, as a phrase from a song puts it, "Rise above the world."

Common knowledge has it that the laws of aerodynamics prove that the bumblebee should be incapable of flight, as it does not have the capacity (in terms of wing size or beat per second) to achieve flight with the degree of wing loading necessary. Not being aware of scientists 'proving' it cannot fly; the bumblebee succeeds under "the power of its own ignorance."

Being ignorant enough to refuse to cave in to criticism is a great asset to the Bumblebee and to all who aspire to do anything worth doing. So, get on with your dreams. Now.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit.

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