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| By Tim Shaw Sr. |
One of the reason people suspect Obama's claim that he is a Christian is his overpowering arrogance. Anyone who has made a serious attempt to be a disciple of Christ realizes the very first thing that has to go out the window, before the Lord can enter ones heart, is arrogance and pride. Discipleship requires humility and complete subjugation to the Lords will. Then the new disciple watches in amazement as the Lord removes from your character this terrible arrogance (which when you had it, while using it you in fact are declaring to the world you consider yourself a god, and are in no need of any other god, for you can do it all yourself). After the Lord removes the arrogance and pride, the Lord assists you in rebuilding you a new character, in essence creating spiritually a new man. Your a weak piece of a wet noodle. But a strong man, built on a foundation of correct timeless principles (honesty, integrity, kindness, mercy, compassion, service to others, a devotion to causes greater than ones self etc).
Most pronounced, if this man is called to a life of community service is Gratitude and he makes continual references to God as the source of his strength, and of all of our gifts we enjoy as a nation like Freedom, Liberty and Freedom to Worship, and any gifts he may posses as a leader (This Christian leader now shows humility.... the opposite of arrogance). He does not take credit, he takes joy in giving credit to those whom he serves with that have worked so hard to accomplish the task, the foot soldiers if you will. It reminds me of my dear friends of the Greatest Generation. I never heard one of them boast of the WWII or Korean War heroism. But as I pestered them, and dug their stories out of them, I was simply astonished at the absolute hero's in my life. And, I knew they were still downplaying their stories. The truly humble man, has no need to boast, he knows who he is, and from whom his strength comes from.
Mitt Romney is a man of modesty. People know he spent 10 years in up close and personal work with the poor and needy (emotionally, spiritually and temporarily) as a church leader, but he never speaks of it, when he is accused of being unapproachable. He is accused of being so rich bla bla bla. He never mentions he worked for no salary for 4 years as President of the Olympics, he refused to be paid as Governor of Mass. A little known fact is that he and Ann have a charitable foundation, called "The Tyler Foundation" where they donate millions of dollars to children's charities. He would rather take the slings and arrows of the dishonest left than violate his principles of being the disciple he is to boast about his good works. How does this contrast with the man of arrogance?
He is a man of modesty that does not boast of his good works (he sees Jesus as the real source of his good works). I heard Ann Romney say to Neil Cavuto in an interview, when Neil was giving her a hard time that Mitt did not boast enough about his good works, she said "Well, that is because he is a very modest man. I have been pleased to see these qualities in Mitt Romney. To me these qualities makes him even more qualified to be President. Not because he is a Christian (well, he would call himself one through and through... other's would debate that on theological grounds, and that is fine if they want to hold that point of view, but I understand how intensely he has studied the life of Jesus and tried to apply them directly in his life, and he has sought the miraculous working of Christ's grace to achieve "the might change in his heart," He is by no means perfect, and a true disciple is always acutely aware of his weaknesses and the need for the Lord to help him overcome them. But, it gives me hope there is such a man on the horizon, prepared to assume leadership of America.
Hopeful my assessment is accurate, but I have seen little or none of these attributes demonstrated by President Obama. Obama has done, and tried to do very good things for people. But the difference is he always seems to have clear political motives, followed by an endless need to boast about what "He" did, this is not the way the Christian disciple would respond. Boastfulness was high on the Savior's lists of actions that brought him displeasure, which he tried to teach people against and to replace it with humility. There is no hidden scripture on this. It's all over the Bible. Just read the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. Jesus taught you will know his disciples by how they live their lives "By your fruits you shall know them." I submit that the fruit of Arrogance in a man's life is a sure indication of where a man stands in his Christian discipleship.
Of course, I want to make it abundantly clear, I have no religious test to be president. I found recent surveys interesting were I believe something like only 36% of American's believed President Obama's claim that he is a Christian. I have been mulling over in my head why that would be the case. This is what I have reasoned. I am simply trying to contrast the two candidates according to the attributes of Christian Discipleship as I understand them from my own study and life, while watching both men in action. Who ever is elected has a solemn obligation to be the president of ALL the people regardless of their religious or non-religious affiliation. But, religion has been an issue in this campaign. Romney has very much tried to steer clear of it, and all other issues, other than the economy. But I believe a man's character and inner integrity is a legitimate issue when considering a president.
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