Character Counts

I was just thinking about...

Some years ago, a popular program on television was - "To Tell The Truth"! Three contestants attempted to confuse and stump a panel in terms of an a position they held or an accomplishment they had achieved. Only one contestant was bound to tell the truth. After the panel had made their assessments and cast their vote, the host would say: "Will the real ____, please stand up!" We are well past the point where this needs to be the approach with political aspirants, as well as other people within our society. Integrity has been sacrificed on the altar of ambition and the position sought.

We don't often get to know who a person really is, nor do we get enough information to be able to discern what a person believes. In a current Book Review of a tome entitled: Habitudes: Images that Form Leadership Habits & Attitudes by Tim Elmore, this observation is made, "The iceberg is a great picture of leadership because so much of our influence comes from qualities we can't see on the outside. It's stuff below the surface. I estimate 90% of our leadership is made up from our character."

Candidates vacillate in their responses because they are trying to appeal to as many people as they can - just so they can win and hold an office. The principle of truth is clearly enunciated in Proverbs 12:17, "Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit." And Proverbs 23:23 states, "Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding." This is saying to us simply that we should value and cherish the truth. We should be unwilling to sacrifice or compromise the truth at any time or for any reason. There needs to be a way to challenge a person or candidate to Tell The Truth.

Cynicism continues to increase when one hears a former President once again parsing words and engaged in re-writing history in order to project a position that is palatable to a greater cross-section of people. Why is he doing this? He is hoping to solidify a position and gain votes so his wife can win in a caucus or primary. The hope is that people will respond like sheep and be easily led. But - one should remember that being a sheep has inherent risks. Sheep are just as easily led to the slaughter as they are to the pasture.

Jesus Christ was making a spiritual appeal when he stated in John 8:32, "and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." That same truth has political and societal application. Truth should be cherished and promoted in the discourse with people. Tim Elmore makes a very interesting comment in the aforementioned book. He states, "People are either thermometers or thermostats. They will merely reflect the climate around them, or they will set it. Leaders develop values and principles to live by and set the tone for others."

This is where we find ourselves today - desiring and searching for truth while being fed interpretations and parsing of details and facts to create a certain image and climate. We owe it to ourselves and the generations that follow to be champions of the truth, and only the truth. Do not sacrifice or compromise it ever.