What a great tool for consistency these blogs are. Though I have suffered through relocating from one ministry to the next several times, the past two relocations have proven to be more heart rendering than the past. However, it has been nice to have a consistent "address" where the world and I can connect. Between my Facebook connection, and this blog, those who wanted to stay up with my experience in Christ, have been able to. The reciprocal notion is true as well. Those I wish to keep up with, are registered users and I can contact them any time I like. It is wonderful.
Those of you who know me understand that I am very politically savvy. My conservative roots are an Inheritance from my father, Bob Hurd, who passed from this earth in 2009. He is the one who turned me on to Rush Limbaugh. He is the one who said, "I taught Rush everything he knows." He was conservative, before conservative was a political term.
While I will spout some of my political feelings and opinions on Facebook, early on in my blogging, I decided to not bring politics to this blog. Why? After all, many ministers bring their politics right along with their theology. But, I rejected that notion because of Marvin.
Marvin was a wonderful man, whom I loved dearly from Carl Junction, Missouri (I will not use his last name right now.) who was a school teacher. Not just a school teacher, but an Art instructor. He was exceedingly talented, though he was intensely humble. More than that, he was quite liberal in his politics. Not so much on the morality side, but on the social and fiscal side. He took a lot a "ribbing" from church members. Especially from his fellow leaders in the congregation. You see, he was a Deacon. He probably was the only member of the leadership who was politically on the left more than on the right.
My friend and fellow preacher Boyce Mouton used to tell me, "You know the way to ruin a great servant of the Lord? Make him a Deacon." This man was a Deacon who never got ruined. And I can tell you, Boyce's statement came true more often than it did not. But, Marvin never lost his sweet, sweet spirit. When he would take a political jab (and these were in the days of Bill Clinton…lots of material there) he would just smile and snicker, look down, then carry on with what he was saying.
When the computer scare of 2000 came about, he was the one who asked for us to store up a couple tons of beans and rice in case of a nationwide computer crash. While most of the leadership looked at this suggestion from Marvin with skepticism, we loved him back by agreeing to make the purchase. As you know, nothing happened. The beans and rice were later distributed to the mission field. No harm done.
So, I ask you… do you have a brother like Marvin? A true man of God. A man who loves his fellow man so much that he would take the ribbing and come up as lovable and tender hearted as he? What would your opinion of this man be? For me, and a lot of others in Carl Junction, the word "Respect" comes to mind. Also, "Christ-like" in his willingness to forgive us as we sometimes treated him like the Pharisees treated Jesus.
Therefore, I choose to not bring politics on to this blog. This because I know there are wonderful brothers and sisters who may not have the same politics…but they have the same Jesus in their heart. There are plenty of political websites you can join or follow. This one remains (As my friend Dr. Terry Bowland would say….) "silent on the issue."
To all my liberal brothers in Christ…let us break bread together on our knees.