August 03, 2015
Getting Personal
I interviewed a former
Colorado State Senator who is in a good position to compare and contrast local
politics with state politics. “It seems that in our community it’s hard to
disagree on issues and still be friends. In the Colorado Senate you work on
issues, not personalities.” His comment struck home when an area newspaper this
week reported on a disagreement between the city and the county. The chief of police,
referring to the county sheriff, is quoted, “[the battle] has been hard on
relationships. Rick and I had been friends up to this point.” Had been friends. Unfortunately believers
are not immune from letting issues become personal. Case in point, both the chief
and the sheriff are Christians — and members of the same church. The Apostle Paul
said, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along
with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one
another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph 4:31-32
NIV).
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----My life has rich company in my precious bride. Yet I am cold lonely. I’ve met a few people who like to talk ideas and do not perceive anything more than good conversation and exchange of information should be the outcome. But I don’t have any friends like that, who will regularly just sit and share what’s come across each other’s mind lately merely for the value of exchange It seems most people, especially friends, always feel the other person has some obligation to adjust his core beliefs a bit in response to what they’ve said. I don’t think it is so much some natural penchant to control other people as it is a burning need to see their own perceptions validated by reality‘s responding to their selves. Most people are pretty yielding on the trivia of life. But the overwhelming majority will make sure Hell gets paid for anything beyond the trivial not subordinating itself to their own perceptions. So people won’t talk deep things much. And that makes me lonely.
-----Even more validation is served up to any group leader whose ideas sway the actions and policies of the rest of the group. Those of us who are satisfied with merely effecting the thoughts of others stand in awe of those who must actually effect the way others do things and how they live. We think the more someone is able to do that, the better politician he will be.
-----But we’re wrong. Of course, a good politician must have power of sway over others. But to say power alone makes someone a good politician is the same as saying the hottest dragster in the pit will win the drag race. It won’t. It will just sit in the pit unless it has a driver. Neither will it win with just any driver. To win the race, its driver must be hotter than the other drivers. Sneaky Pete Robinson might still be alive if he understood this. The greatness of any leader is inversely proportionate to how much he sequesters self interest from leading, and how able he is to inspire the same in others. There is no need for “me” or “my way” to be part of any process. There is only a need for the successful way to be that process. Adjusting “me” or “my way” to correspond to whatever successfully deals with every circumstance of a situation is humility. Arrogance is the thought that everything I think is successful. The arrogant fight, not the humble. Until our voting populace gets it, our government will be nothing but a bunch of bickerers overpowered by a few tyrants.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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