19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live – Deuteronomy 30:19
Unhinged
On June 16, 2015, business mogul Donald Trump announced his candidacy for President of the United States. Personally, I thought it was some sort of joke, perhaps a publicity stunt. What did Donald Trump know about politics? As might be expected, the media had a field day with the announcement. In fact, I felt they were so obsessed with Donald Trump that they hardly recognized the other candidates, including “my” candidate. But the obsession was only beginning.
On November 8, 2016, Donald Trump was elected President, and many liberals became unhinged, including those in the media and academia. The morning after his election, some Institutions of “higher” learning cancelled classes so their students could get grief counseling. But the grief only blossomed into frustration. In June of 2017, in a New York play of Julius Caesar, a Trump-like “‘Caesar” was stabbed to death to the delight of it’s liberal audience (and the dismay of some of it’s sponsors). But the stabs in the back were just beginning.
Not wanting to accept President Trumps election, his opponents fabricated a Russian collusion conspiracy. After spending much time and tax money on false charges, they then proceeded with a bogus impeachment trial. Many of these same people cheered when he was diagnosed with Covid and jeered when he was released from the hospital. At every turn, those obsessed with President Trump are still dripping their venom.
False Scales
11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is his delight. – Proverbs 11:1
While the media has been busy pointing out every flaw of President Trump, real or perceived, they have basically ignored those of his opponents. While we were subjected to months of conjecture regarding the Russian collusion theory, there seemed to be no interest from the media about Obamagate, and Vice President Biden’s role in all of the spying.
When Judge Kavanaugh was nominated for the Supreme Court by President Trump, we were educated about the Me Too movement. One thing we learned was that any man accused of sexual misconduct was guilty until proven innocent. Certainly no woman would fabricate such personal and sensitive accusations. At least that was until Vice President Biden was accused of sexual misconduct/improprieties by several women.
In addition to Obamagate and the numerous sexual allegations, Biden is now linked to his son Hunter’s ongoing scandal. It seems that while Vice President, Joe Biden used his position to financially benefit Hunter. Likewise, no mention is made of all of the damning sexual perversion found on his (Hunters) laptop computer. Unfortunately, instead of professional journalism, all we are getting from the elite powers is gaslighting.
Untold Story
What are we not being told by the media? According to the website whitehouse.gov, this is what Paul Harvey might refer to as “the rest of the story”.
“President Trump has delivered historic results in his first term in office despite partisan gridlock in the Nation’s Capital, and resistance from special interests and the Washington Establishment.
He passed record-setting tax cuts and regulation cuts, achieved energy independence, replaced NAFTA with the United-States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, invested $2 trillion to completely rebuild the Military, launched the Space Force, obliterated the ISIS Caliphate, achieved a major breakthrough for peace in the Middle East, passed the most significant Veterans Affairs reforms in half a century, confirmed over 250 federal judges, including 2 Supreme Court Justices, signed bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform, lowered drug prices, protected Medicare and Social Security, and secured our nation’s borders.
To vanquish the COVID-19 global pandemic, President Trump launched the greatest national mobilization since World War II. The Trump Administration enacted the largest package of financial relief in American history, created the most advanced testing system in the world, developed effective medical treatments to save millions of lives, and launched Operation Warp Speed to deliver a vaccine in record time and defeat the Virus.”
Bet you didn’t hear any of that on the nightly news.
Laurel Trees
35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found. – Psalm 37:35-36
In the midst of the Second World War, as the anxious world was watching every move of Adolf Hitler in fear and trembling, Martyn Lloyd-Jones was unmovable in his confidence. His faith in God was his firm foundation when the world around him was falling apart. How? He believed in the sovereignty of God and clung to His Word. Specifically, he found comfort in the passage above. Like the laurel tree in the Psalm, one day men would seek Hitler and he would be no more. His wickedness and ruthlessness would be a thing of the past.
From an earthly perspective, President Trump and Vice President Biden are laurel trees. Mere mortals who will someday pass away and be no more. Just like Adolf Hitler. Just like all of us. However, unlike the laurel tree, they will stand before their Creator and give an account for their deeds in the flesh. Every careless word uttered, and every deed performed will be weighed by the almighty God, who hates false scales.
We need to be careful how much fear and how much faith we put in laurel trees.
Fools Galore
12 Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent. – Proverbs 11:12
I don’t follow Facebook, nor do I follow Twitter. But I am well aware that much of what President Trump says and Tweets, would certainly qualify him as a fool according to many of the Proverbs. But despite what the media would like us to believe, he doesn’t have a monopoly on foolish words or behavior.
When questioned about his bowling game, President Obama once remarked to Jay Leno, “It’s like the Special Olympics or something”. (To his credit, he quickly apologized). In what appeared to be a childlike meltdown, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in front of a watching world, tore up her copy of President Trump’s State of the Union Address. Not to be outdone, in the first 2020 Presidential debate, Vice President Joe Biden told President Trump to “shut up” and also called him a clown.
Prior to his debate embarrassment, Biden got into a heated exchange with an autoworker in Michigan who questioned his stance on gun control. According to the auto worker, Biden “went off the deep end” as he lost his temper and used expletives in his response to what was deemed to be a fair question.
Kindness and Empathy
So where is all of this political talk leading? Since President Trump was elected President, there has been a lot of discussion about kindness and empathy. Yet, in the midst of all of the Clinton sex scandals we were told that character doesn’t matter. Remember being told “Its the economy stupid”? So how did we get to this point?
It didn’t take long to find the trail. According to a 2016 article in the New York Times, Mark Zuckerburg, was devastated by Trumps Presidential win. Accordingly, he decided to make empathy (or the lack thereof) the focal point of 2020. And through Facebook, and the media, he has done just that. For many, this election is about the subjective. Which candidate is perceived as the kindest and most empathetic. To which I humbly say, HOGWASH!!
As a “Patriot” and more importantly, as a Christian, who recognizes the stakes of the war we are in, I am casting my lot with General MacArthur before Richard Simmons. As I have been pointing out, perfection is not an option, so we must vote for direction. Both candidates have a fool’s tongue, but one has a lot more blood on his hands.
Choose Life
I remember years ago listening to a radio interview with the well known financial advisor Larry Burkett. Larry was battling cancer at the time and after sharing some of his experiences in that struggle, he was asked about an upcoming election. Despite making a living talking about finances from a Christian perspective, Larry said the only truly important issue in any election is life. If a candidate didn’t fight for the sanctity of human life, he wasn’t much interested in their other credentials or convictions. As a young CPA, that left a great impression on me.
That interview was roughly twenty years ago. Larry has long since passed. But the battle for life remains. As an accountant, I appreciate what President Trump has done for our economy. The same is true for the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017. Further, as I father and grandfather, I appreciate the lack of ISIS activity under President Trump’s watch. But when I look at the list of accomplishments taken from the whitehouse.gov sight (copied above), one is glaringly absent.
According to every pro life organization I am aware of, President Trump is the most pro-life President in our history. By contrast, the Biden/Harris ticket has been dubbed the most pro-death. As a nation, God has certainly placed before us life and death. In a few days, we will make our choice.
Mere Mortals?
How do we move beyond the earthly perspective of humanity? How do we get past our feelings and subjective standards? Perhaps a testimony will help. On November 17, 1995, as she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Brenda Shafer, an RN, shared this about an abortion she assisted in:
“The baby was alive and moving as the abortionist delivered the baby’s body and arms – everything but the head. The doctor kept the baby’s head just inside the uterus. The baby’s little fingers were clasping and unclasping, his feet were kicking. Then the doctor stuck the scissors through the back of his head, and the baby’s arms jerked out in a flinch, a startle reaction like a baby does when he thinks he might fall. The doctor opened up the scissors, stuck a high-powered suction tube into the opening, and sucked the baby’s’ brains out. Now the baby was completely limp.”
With this sobering picture in your mind, ponder the words of C.S. Lewis, from The Weight of Glory.
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations-these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit-immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”
Let’s not redefine what it means to be pro life. You can’t love, protect or care for someone from cradle to grave, if you’ve denied them the right to life in the womb.
This election exercise kindness and empathy by choosing life, “so that you and your children might live”. With heaven and earth as His witnesses, God awaits our decision.