August 31, 2009
Honoring
I know Senator Edward M. Kennedy accomplished a lot in his life and by the number of folks who turned out for his funeral he was loved, respected and revered. My perspective of the Senator is tainted because I view him through the Chappaquiddick incident and the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. I guess I just have a hard time honoring someone who, in spite of their good deeds, seems so...well, dishonorable. In sorting out my thoughts and feelings about Kennedy, King David came to mind. David seduced Bathsheba and then in a cover-up had her husband Uriah the Hittite killed. David, ‘a man after God’s own heart’, was loved, respected and revered. I imaging the friends, family and men serving alongside Uriah found that a little hard to take.
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Gail;
-----Deeds are windows into the soul. Whether they are large or small, something of what is in someone can be seen through them. And the more windows there are the more they expose the soul. Both David and Sen. Kennedy made bad judgments in response to trying times; both provided windows exposing their hubris. But each also provided another window in connection with the first by responding to their own mistakes. Nobody knows how long Sen. Kennedy would have remained mum about Ms. Kopechne’s demise, had it not been for the two fishermen who had seen the overturned car and notified a neighbor. Nobody knows how long David would have stayed mum, either, had it not been for Nathan. But when confronted, David felt the bitter guilt of what he had done and repented, not because he had been caught, but because he had the moral character to acknowledge the damage his actions caused. Did Sen. Kennedy feel great remorse? I can not say he didn’t. He knew the damage he caused, and he made restitution (in as much as money can) to Kopechne’s family. Nor did he try to weasel out of the legal consequences by use of highly paid attorneys. He pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, apparently the only charge brought against him.
-----I can not say that the additional windows into Sen. Kennedy’s character regarding the Kopechne death are any less revealing of a repentant man than were David’s windows following Uriah’s death. David did not relinquish his kingship. But what David did was to try his best to lead Israel for the good of her people and to the glory of God. I don’t know about “to God’s glory”, but I am comfortable presuming Sen. Kennedy honestly felt he led in his senatorial position for what he thought was the good of the American people. Nor did he relinquish his position. I can not proclaim fault upon Sen. Kennedy from what I can see through these windows.
-----Other windows are where his real faults appear. The continuous booze imbibing, the waitress sandwiches and offshore drilling (your welcome, I won’t explain those analogies), and the numerous travesties his legislative efforts have laid upon the American people provide the real windows into his character. Analyzing his actions by the truth of the Word makes both their lack of character and his failure to acknowledge the Word apparent. I am not glad for his early departure from this life, however early death at seventy-seven can be. But I do consider his departure from the senate to be more than forty years late. Neither have I felt honor for Sen. Kennedy, but I do pray the Lord can find a way to stand for him as well before the judgment seat.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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