CHARACTER

Fathers’ Moral Requirements / Citizens’ Moral Requirements

May the Scales Fall Off Our Eyes · War and Accountability · Rollin E. Trueblood, USMC (Ret.)

Following the release of the Access Hollywood recording on October 7, 2016, then-Speaker of the House Paul Ryan publicly stated that he was “sickened” by the comments made on the tape. The recording included statements by then-candidate Donald Trump describing kissing and grabbing women without consent — comments later dismissed by Trump as “locker room talk.” Ryan initially remained in a difficult position politically, balancing his role as Speaker of the House and leader within the Republican Party while also confronting what appeared to be a serious moral conflict involving his faith, his family, and his conscience. On October 10, 2016, Ryan announced that he would no longer campaign with or defend Trump publicly during the election cycle.

I myself wrestled with this issue while watching it unfold. We cannot see into another man’s heart, but we can understand the extraordinary pressure that must have existed on both sides of that dilemma. The political pressure placed upon the Speaker of the House to remain loyal to his party had to be immense. At the same time, the moral pressure placed upon him as a husband, father, Christian man, and public leader must have weighed heavily upon his conscience as well.

I was incorrect when I stated that fortunately few of us will ever face a moral dilemma carrying that level of national pressure. In reality, we all face moral decisions every day of our lives. Each day, we either accept moral decay quietly or demand moral integrity from those we choose to follow and support. If we do not expect moral character from our leaders, then we should not be surprised when candidates begin creating false narratives to justify their own actions, manipulate public opinion, slander opponents, mislead citizens, or place personal power above truth itself.

Moral character should be valued above political victory, personality, wealth, or influence. But before we can demand integrity from others, we must first examine our own hearts honestly. When we are willing to do that — when we can look inward humbly and truthfully — then we gain the ability to recognize and honor those who faced tremendous consequences, pressure, and personal cost, yet still chose to do what they believed was morally right.

Proverbs 28:6 — “Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.”

Micah 6:8 — “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Psalm 15:1-2 — “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? …The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.”

Galatians 6:7 — “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

Each night for several months now, I have included something similar in my final prayer: “Lord, allow the scales to fall from our eyes, especially my own, so that we may clearly see Your truth, Your desires, and allow Your Holy Spirit to guide our intentions.”

Please consider including that simple prayer consistently for the next 30 days: that the scales may fall from our eyes and that we may see more clearly through the wisdom, truth, and moral character taught by Christ.

I challenge you to search Scripture honestly and determine whether these character traits and actions are truly supported within God’s Word. If you cannot find that support, then I plead with you to examine your conscience prayerfully, go before God humbly, and ask Him to lead you toward truth, integrity, and moral clarity rather than political loyalty or personal emotion.

— Rollin E. Trueblood, USMC (Ret.)