"AS ONE OF THEM" The moral values we hear being discussed somewhat more frequently largely because of the reporting of the Congressman Marc Foley scandal are not as portable as we might be made to make them seem to be. Such in-bred morals of preferences like any truly inner marks of worth, are largely constant. You don't "take from" and /or "add to" them as if they were trading stamps of some sort.
Many individuals, perhaps, have a wealth of such possessions and yet they remain unaware of them as a major factor in the their lives. They are worn as are worn as armor against evil forces, as one makes a stand in favor of goodness. They are used to nourish other less fortunate persons. They can wave as encouraging banners during moments of special movement in our lives. They can sound forth as trumpets leading to the discovery of soothing harmonies in the basic composition of life's melodic themes.
I dislike seeing Foley shortcomings being exploited as a political tool to sustain the fevered state of the scandal alive as long as possible during the election year. I am well aware of the fact that, were "the shoe on the other foot" the accusations and recrimination would be going in the opposite direction".
This all has a personal meaning for me. Years ago when I was physically able to move about doing church work, I was one of four Elder named preach at a small church south of Staunton,Virginia. Each of us was to speak two Sundays.
I find myself parroting lines from those talks.
I used the entire "Book of Obediah" as my text. The words which come back to me even after all those years are- a parody, no doubt.."...on that day we I saw count stand aloof and watch my enemy tear down my gates and enter my home and pillage...you were as one of them!..."
I have often wondered if anyone got anything from my sermon that morning. I did. The notes are still around somewhere in my "files". I think of lessons behind it all in election years.
Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 10-17-06 [c-371wds]
