CHARACTER
Are You Required to Be Mean and Hateful?
A lot of us have raised children. There are times when we have to be firm and lead them and teach them right from wrong, implant wisdom and scripture, love, mercy, courage, and many other attributes. But I don’t know very many parents who are actually mean and hateful toward their children — yelling and belittling them all the time, or being mean and hateful toward their friends in such a manner that it teaches them to become mean and cruel themselves.
When someone’s in a leadership position, whether they realize it or not, they will always be role models directing the course of culture, mercy, compassion, humility, courage, and the way human beings treat each other.
The position of President of the United States guides the course of our morality. We can choose to be mean and cruel to each other, or we can choose to be kind and compassionate. That should matter to everyone. It’s not just policy. It is a character that we need to look for in an elected official.
Epistle to the Ephesians 4:31-32
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you… And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted…”
Book of Proverbs 15:1
“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”
Epistle to the Colossians 3:12-13
“Put on therefore… kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another…”
You are in a leadership position of your family. Would you stand there and tell God that you have the right to let cruelness and anger come out of your mouth? Or would you tell Him that He’s correct and you should speak in kindness, but firmness, as you teach? The decision is: follow the Lord or not follow the Lord.
Book of Joshua 24:15
— Rollin E. Trueblood, USMC (Ret.)