"Language, as well as the faculty of speech, was the immediate gift of God." ~ Noah Webster



Thursday, June 25, 2020

Imperfect Warriors

So this is what happens when I mow my lawn; weed my garden or work in my flower beds. I think. Then I come in to rest and write. Today it paid off, I started these thoughts this morning, but didn't know if I should post this. After working, I thought about even more, and decided that I should share my thoughts.

I can remember probably, four famous people at whose deaths I cried.

One was Don Knotts - my favorite comedian, hands down, ever - humor at its finest; the other was Antonin Scalia who was all about American justice and preservation; and of course Billy Graham, who needs no explanation - for me, his death seemed the end of an era. Reverend Graham's death was expected, so I think I was crying more about the ending of that era.

The fourth one I cried about was Andrew Breitbart. I had barely gotten to know him, it seemed. He was a warrior. I almost always cry at a warrior's death. He was crass, and flippant, and a bit Trumpean before there was Trump. But boy did he have a message. He didn't simply deliver it, he was also in the battle. And for that, he had my respect. No, he wasn't a politician, but he did so very much for a righteous cause....kinda like Trump. He has come to mind the last few weeks, because of all that is happening in our nation. And then, as I was reading another author last night (a Christian author writing about the mess we are in today), he too, mentioned Andrew Breitbart and Andrew's book from 2011 - "Righteous Indignation". I was thankful someone remembered, like me.

If we think that all of what is occurring today is new; and that this is something that is happening only because of President Trump, (and blaming him for the division) we are extremely deceived. This is a decades old battle, exacerbated under President Obama and now merely heating up further, to explosion status, fueled by a media that seems to have only one agenda - destroy Trump or America, whichever comes first.

For those interested, I highly recommend Breitbart's book "Righteous Indignation". It will seem a bit dated now. But just replace the labels of then, with the labels of today and it will all fall right into place. It's a book by a man wakened from the liberal agenda to become one of America's greatest warriors for truth. He exposes the deception of the media, the agenda of the left, and the Saul Alinsky tactics they use. It explains then, exactly what is happening now.

From his book:
"It's a long war. I know. I've lost friends. I have the scars. My wife married an almost inappropriately always-lighthearted guy fourteen years ago. Now she wakes up next to a fire brand who is one of the most polarizing figures in the country.
But I have also met the America that was rendered silent by the media and is now shaking itself to life again. These are the years that we will look back on and question whether we did enough for our country and for our children. That's why I'm so determined, so [angry], so righteously indignant."
The war continues;  Even more, today it rages. Personally I believe we need more "fire brands", like Andrew. Some will not understand, or agree with me. Some may criticize me for looking to a worldly view, or source, for something that needs a Godly answer. But I think there is a place for both and truthfully, and I do not look to anyone for the answer. For the Christian, EVERYTHING is about God. It is ok to look at the sacrifice or work of others. I do not have to check my faith at the door and be silent about the turmoil of the day. In my opinion, silence is what got us here. No one should render us silent, whatever our beliefs are.

I think history will one day look back at President Trump in the same way that I look at Breitbart. He is an imperfect warrior fighting for the soul of America, and for that I am grateful. It certainly isn't the first time God used ungodly men to bring about all that He is orchestrating. For one thing, it's how we know it is God that is the One who is behind it.

Anyway, Andrew died way too soon. Now I really don't know if Andrew Breitbart was saved. I kinda think he wasn't. He never made public, that faith statement. Perhaps that is why I cried so hard when I learned of his death. But, truthfully, I have no idea what may have happened on that morning walk, when his heart failed him. Maybe God reached him. Maybe he had given his heart to God a long time ago. Or maybe at some point in the tumultuous trials and hatred he faced, he one day reached out to God. I just don't know. I simply believe God used him, regardless.

One thing I do know for certain, is when I think of Andrew's life and death, sometimes I still cry - in fact, this morning. I think the reason for that is because of all the reasons I stated in the beginning of this post:  Humor, Justice, A Fight to death for our nation; AND our God. I shared the people I loved, who remind me of each of those characteristics. But the truth is, Breitbart's life encompassed all of them in one way or another. He just did things BIG. Read the book; you'll get it. ;-)

Here's to the warriors that encourage us to the battle, in whatever capacity that might be.