Yesterday I read about ‘a nine-foot man-eating tiger and a 19-foot python’. I paused. It could have read ‘a nine foot man, eating tiger and a 19-foot python’.
Choice of punctuation is important.
On Monday we heard President Donald Trump’s inauguration speech. He announced that there were only two genders; he launched an immigration crackdown, issuing a broad ban on asylum, taking steps to restrict citizenship for children born on U.S. soil.
On Tuesday we heard Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde pleading with President Trump, to show mercy on people who were scared… LGBT children who fear for their lives… hard-working immigrants who may not be properly documented citizens, but are not criminals.
I’m a non-expert in American politics, sitting three-and-a-half thousand miles away, observing responses from both political and faith perspectives. Some cheer and support President Trump… some passionately support Bishop Budde…
‘Make America Great Again’? Getting there requires making important choices of belief leading to important life-choices.
Everett Swanson was in Korea in 1952, working with ‘chaplains from multiple nations and branches of faith… Catholics, Baptists and Jews…’ Swanson had been brought up on a Swedish Baptist doctrine: ‘…a personal commitment to holy living, an understanding that faith should be put into action, and an attitude of kindness to unbelievers…’
‘…Now Everett was watching people of other faith backgrounds demonstrate a similar love for God and others… And really, in the trenches, did sticky points of doctrine matter?’
Swanson experienced the conflict between communism and democracy, Chinese and Korean POWs, American soldiers, peaceful innocent Koreans caught up in the conflict… A different American, a different time, but similar challenges to ideology, faith and daily living.
Musing… differences in politics and faith… differences in priorities and choices.
Today I shall meet parents whose daughter’s having problems at school, a woman living with cancer, a gent who’s disability prevents him from leaving home. I ask whether and when ‘in the trenches… sticky points of doctrine matter.’ And how my faith leads to today’s important life-choices.
malcolmsmusings.org 
Beautiful words of wisdom to give us pause and ponder. For they will know us by our love, Malcolm. Any seed I plant during this frozen ground of winter will not sprout if it’s planted in hate. I guess I’ll always be a gal in the Middle of most things—but firmly planted in the Maker’s Word. Today I’ll go into the “messiness” of another middle school. I’ve been in 24 schools since October. My physical self is weak and my spiritual strength is only fueled by God. I’ll meet young people confused about their identity, even gender. I’ll meet some who are angry. Some happy. Many poor. Some well-off. I won’t “matter” to most of them. But while I “have” them—they’ll get love and fairness.Jesus is the only authority that I’ve known that can be loving…AND Just. HE just has a way. God bless you, Malcolm!
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You’re right, Karla. We especially owe it to our children to get it right… and we take our direction and motivation from Jesus.
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Choice. It’s everything!
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But we must use our choices wisely, And we must pray that others in our homes, schools, churches and governments will make wise choices too.
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Amen, Malcolm!
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