Do We Kneel or Do We Stand?

I have noticed that over the past few weeks there has been a huge amount of discussion that can only be considered a jumble of noise and confused remarks about why NFL players are kneeling during the National Anthem. While I don't feel that I am a subject expert of racial oppression or hatred of the US. I am an expert in patriotism and caring for our fellow men and women around us.

This whole controversy started sometime last year when Colin Kaepernick decided it would be a good idea to kneel during the National Anthem to show support for the black americans who had been "gunned down" in "cold blood" by cops around the country. His idea was that he was advocating for equality when it comes to how people are treated not only by police officers but also by the general public... or at least that is my understanding of what he thought he was doing.

Two thoughts here: 1. It's already a controversial topic about whether the cops had the right to shoot or not, but to add kneeling during arguably the most important moment of any sporting event into the mix was not the brightest idea. 2. Are black people the only race that is really unfairly shot by police? Or do police unfairly shoot all kinds of people? All these are thoughts that have gone through my head as I've tried to make sense of what is going on in our country.

Now, let me preface this by saying, I am a white male who is currently servicing his country in the military. I am required by duty and contract (if not love) to stand and salute the flag of the United States during the national anthem or any movement of the flag. I think that makes it quite clear where I stand, but I'm not finished talking yet.

I understand that there is definitely injustice that has worked its way into the law enforcement system in the country, though it is a great minority of people who are corrupted compared to what the news would have you believe. The amount of good cops out there vastly trumps the numbers of bad cops. That being said, why and what are the agendas that are really behind the news making such a big deal out of these issues of racial injustice? I haven't a clue, but I must ask, what more important issues are they covering up that we don't get any news about?

If you want me to give you a solution on how to fixed the problem of racial injustice, it doesn't start with the cops. It starts with the civilians and the general populace treating each other respectfully and with love, rather than suspicion and hatred. We as a country cannot begin to move forward until we can reconcile that we come from different backgrounds and we are still all equal when we start before God.

Why do we have to make race an issue at all? When I see my friends that are of a different race than me, I don't say "oh hey, that's my black friend Joe over here". I say," hey that's my friend Joe, we play soccer together!" you see, there are other ways of describing yourself than by your skin color or sexuality... in fact those things should not come into play at all when you are building a relationship with someone.

In the military all races are represented and all races are treated as equal. There is not a difference based on race. I have brothers to my right and to my left that are black, Asian, Mexican, and white and I would willingly lay down my life for all of them if I was called to do so. That's what it means to be an soldier, and that's what it means to be an American-- to celebrate our differences and learn from each other, while cultivating rich relationships with each other.

As for the flag, I have watched too many soldiers return home under a flag to ever be able to kneel while the National Anthem is played. It doesn't matter what you think you are protesting... if you kneel during the National Anthem you spit upon the graves of known and unknown soldiers who have perished to give us the amount of freedoms we have today. By kneeling you distract from the soldiers of the past who gave everything and insult the soldiers who are currently protecting you.

The flag does not represent the injustices in the country, it represents the ideology that this country was founded upon. Loyalty, Duty, Responsibility, Selflessness, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. It represents what we as a country strive to be, not what we currently are.

So in short, don't mock the flag because you think it's at fault or the ideals of this country... because they're not. It's us, the people who must make a change  for love and courage rather than hatred and fear. Also, if you want to make a difference then actually find a way to make a difference instead of just changing your facebook pictures or kneeling. Go out there and get your hands dirty trying to bring a better tomorrow into existence.

Evangelicals For Life: The Highlights

I have heard of the March for Life for many years now. However, I had never gone to Washington D.C. so participate or witness it. To be quite honest I was blown away. For the past few years there has been a evangelical conference that takes place called Evangelicals for Life. This is really what we went to DC to experience. I would say that the purpose of Evangelicals for Life  is to educate and encourage the people who are willing to listen, and desire to grow in their understanding of the Pro-Life Movement.

Needless to say, there were some highlights for the weekend that really stood out. I was very impressed by the speakers who made appearances. With a lineup such as, Matt Chandler, Russell Moore, Jeffrey Daly, Todd Wagner, and Eugene Cho you could expect greatness and powerful messages all around. They definitely did not disappoint. In fact they rose to the occasion and delivered so much, that it wouldn't be possible to capture it all in one blog so I will have to stick with the highlights. 

Highlight - 1: Dr. Russell Moore - The Blessing for the Children

Russell Moore - Human Dignity and The Gospel
The Framework for a Lasting Mission

One of the first to speak at this event was Russell Moore. Russell Moore is the President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, he has authored many books and has written for many different publications. When Russell Moore took the stage I wasn't sure what to expect because I have never heard him speak. However his reputation went before him and he brought a powerful message about the value that Jesus placed and continues to place on children. Dr. Moore explained how Jesus' was frustrated with his disciples when they turned the children away. He emphasized, that in the jewish culture, children were viewed as a nuisance when adults were talking, and similarly we as a country, treat the unborn as a nuisance. However, they are not. They are special, and valued as individuals created by God. Our children deserve to be invested in, and taught. They deserve attention and love. Children are a blessing from God and we must treat them as such. 

Highlight - 2: Pastor Matt Chandler - The Church as Community

One of the speaker I was anxious to see in person was Pastor Matt Chandler from the Village Church in Highland TX. Throughout the many series of sermons that I have listened to and learned from him.

Matt Chandler:
Pro-Life Issues and the Millennial:
Swimming Against the Culture

I naturally had high expectations from him. I was not disappointed. He spoke about the community, and how the church needs to understand that change starts with building relationships. Chandler emphasized the importance of getting out into our neighborhoods and actually looking for opportunities to build friendships and serve others.  One of the most profound things Matt said was, "God is crazy about some good things... not just against bad things."  There are so many people who focus on the things that God hates, the sins that alienate us from Him. We really do need to spend more time focusing on the good attributes that we need to cultivate in our lives.
Matt declared,  "We must as Evangelicals be a community of life that believes and declares... That God is the Author and Sustainer of all life from the womb to the tomb." We must choose as humans where to spend our energies and many make the mistake to spend all their time on focusing on the things that we shouldn't do, and are bad at, rather than focusing on what we've been instructed TO do, and what we have been gifted to do.
We must also seek the welfare of the city.

The Power of Taking Responsibility

I have been reading a book by Brian Tracy, called "No Excuses" I have posted a link here so that if

you so desire to read this amazing book yourself, you can. I'm still in the early stages of this book, but I am finding some good lessons and nuggets of truth that I have found to be challenging to myself and helpful in shaping my perspective as I go forward in my journey of becoming a strong leader.

In chapter three, Tracy talks about self-discipline and responsibility. Now don't get me wrong, I know what responsibility and I know what self-discipline is, however, we so often take these words or attributes for granted and don't fully think through the ramifications of what these things are. That is why I am reading more books from people who have spent significant time thinking through these things and thinking through the outcomes of practicing such disciplines.

The kicker for me was on page 57 where Tracy talks about the antidote for negativity. I believe that our world is plagued with negativity. The news always focuses on the negative, social media always focuses on the negative, and the majority of people, only comment or think about the negative that is in their lives and don't give enough thought to the positives that are surrounding them. This also has to do with the mindset that we have in our lives.

Are we weak-minded people who play the victim in every situation or are we leaders who take responsibility and control our actions and the situations around us?

Tracy suggests that the way that we can overcome negativity is simply by taking responsibility for the situations surrounding us.

"There is a direct relationship between the acceptance of responsibility and the amount of personal control you feel you have over your life. This means that the more you accept responsibility, the greater sense of control you experience."

 He goes on to say that weak minded people simply blame other people around them for their own mistakes, their own misfortunes, and their own problems. They blame everything from tools to other people to inanimate objects. Tracy likens it to insanity... which I find to be an interesting comparison.

He goes on to say that "It is not possible to accept responsibility and remain angry at the same time. It is not possible to accept responsibility and experience negative emotions. It is not possible to accept responsibility without becoming calm, clear, positive, and focused once more."

This paragraph threw me for a loop. I have never really considered that taking responsibility of your actions and situations could actually have positive emotional ramifications. I can't recall a time that I took responsibility that I also experienced any negative emotions. That is definitely a gold nugget that I have taken from this book so far and I look forward to continuing my read and learning more and sharing my findings with all of you.

However, I would highly suggest that you read this book for yourselves!

Again, I have posted a link below
to Brian Tracy's website where you can buy this awesome book for yourselves.


http://www.briantracy.com/catalog/no-excusesthe-power-of-selfdiscipline