I'm from Western Massachusetts and have a long memory of Ted Kennedy. Several months after JFK's assassination, he was a passenger on a twin-engine plane that crashed at a local airport. Two people were killed and Kennedy was dragged out by another victim. When medical help arrived he barely had a pulse and was fortunate to have been left with "only" chronic back problems. I was 12 years-old but still remember pictures of the wreck and being amazed anyone survived it.
Teddy went on to live a checkered life promoting a liberal agenda in the U.S. Senate. He achieved success by mastering the issues, negotiating with his Republican rivals and convincing his allies that half a loaf was better than none. His affable, incremental approach over a 47 year career resulted in major changes in America and earned him the moniker "Lion of the Senate." Agree with him or not, his ability to move an agenda was impressive.
He also had a dark side and recounting it would just belabor the point. No matter how much you supported his politics, it was impossible to justify some of his behavior.
What's a Christian to make of the all this?
Conservative columnist Cal Thomas, a Christian friend of Ted's, was asked,"bottom line, (was) Senator Kennedy a good man?" His answer: "Only God is good, the rest of us are sinners." Thomas went on to write, "it is not hypocritical to care for someone who behaves badly. In fact, it is the height of love to do so because you want him to have a changed life and attitude that will help him behave better for his own sake and that of his family."
None of us is perfect, and it's not our place to judge others. Ted Kennedy has met his maker, and this is where judgment takes place. No one - except he and God - knows what was in his heart and it's up to God to weigh his life.
The rest of us haven't got the information, ability or right to pass judgment. And we've got plenty on our plates just trying to manage our own lives without trying to divine Ted Kennedy's recompense.
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Excellent post, Chet. One of the things people mention after they've spoken to me a while, is that I don't seem like the typical judgmental Christian. I just tell them that they haven't met the real ones yet. LOL!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it's easy to judge others, and it takes some level of self-control and a commitment to live as Christ did in order not to take others to task for their actions. It's something I know I need to work on more...but as Thomas said, "Only God is good, the rest of us are sinners". We just have to keep trying.
Cheryl