Character & Integrity

In the year of our, Lord 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, delegates of 12 states came together to form a government.  The Constitution of the United States was written, and all of us need to read it once more.  But it is the Preamble I would like us to look at for a moment.

Preamble

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Many of us have been blessed to reach what some call old age; I for one like the new paradigm, that the new 40 is like the old 20, so excepting that I’ve not arrived at old age.  But Jan and I are grandparents of John Mark and Zachary David, two very gifted young men who our leaders have saddled with insurmountable debt.  

So I’m fully engaged in the persons we elect to lead this nation, not for myself, but for future generations, and that brings me to asking for your help, not with money for a candidate, but to pray first for your own self, I’ve had to ask our Father to forgive me for thinking that giving money and voting is the answer, that program has not worked, look at what it has gotten us.  Then pray and agree with God that we have allowed a godless few to change the God given freedoms we have fought for and given the lives of so many of our young people for.

So I need your help in this way, do you value character; is integrity something you work to attain in your own life?  If so do you agree with this statement: “Suppose that right now we could see a world in which Jesus’ principles were practiced literally.  Position would depend on Character.   Even ability or I.Q. would not really matter in attaining recognition – only character.  That manner of thinking is almost not feasible from the standpoint of our present world-view.”  (T. W. Hunt)

I also believe this quote from my friend, T.W. “Real nobility is not in position, but in character.  God never prizes the position we reach, but the character we attain.”

As a granddad I’m always looking for men of character that I can learn from, I am also looking for examples to share with the grandsons and I want to share a little about Vice Admiral Walter E. “Ted” Carter, Jr. who is in charge of the Naval Academy.  As he took the helm this is what he hopes to do; “The theme that I want to impart to our young men and women is the development of their personal character,” said Admiral Carter.  I believe that the foundation of becoming a good leader is understanding that what you do in peacetime and wartime do not have to be different, that the personal decision you make for yourself and for the men and women you lead must have commonality.”

An old friend who has known the Admiral since they were eight years old, had this to say about his friend: “The two words that come to mind are character and integrity – he is just a stand up guy.” 

So as you look at the names of people running for office in your school district, mayor, city council, is anyone who has known them saying these two words come to mind, character and integrity.  And when it comes to the leaders in state and federal offices, do any of them have character and integrity?  If not, why are you supporting them?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice