In Your Heart

In your pocket, right at this moment, you may be carrying around the reminder of a great man. His name was Abraham Lincoln and his face is on every penny minted in the good old USA since 1909. He's famous for freeing the slaves. I mean, sure he did a lot of other things, like be so truthful his nickname was "Honest Abe" in spite of the fact he was a lawyer. I believe he had something to do with winning a big war, and somewhere in there he wrote this rambling speech that school kids have to memorize, at least they did back when American schools required American students to learn, well, American things.

As I understand it, being not so old as my son sometimes suggests and NOT living through the events of the day, he was also rather merciful. His plan for "punishing the South" after the war was over had no part about punishing at all. He had instructed Grant to give the most generous of terms and allow the soldiers to take their horses and go home for the spring planting. When hearing of Lee's surrender, he outraged Washington by having the White House orchestra play Dixie and other popular southern songs. In a way, those who would have benefited most from his continued leadership managed to kill him, and those people suffered greatly

But he freed the slaves, that is what many are most grateful for and remember. It's no surprise - he was the first ever Republican presidential candidate, a party itself formed for the express reason of ending slavery in the USA. If you watched the news you may have noted that hundreds and hundreds of people gathered in Springfield, Illinois yesterday, to reenact his funeral in remembrance of its 150`^h anniversary.

You may remember another great man. His name was Jesus Christ, and his face was much like the face of every person you see or have seen, since the world began, seeing as we are made in his image. He is famous for freeing the slaves. I mean, sure he did a lot of other things. He was so truthful - well, no fault was in him, ever. His nicknames include Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. He wasn't a lawyer but he taught law, to lawyers, and answered a lot of questions about it. I believe he had something to do with winning a big war over death and the grave. I don't know that he wrote anything at all, but he did promise that those who followed him would remember and write down accounts of important events. I've memorized some of his words.

I would say he was rather merciful, to those who sought mercy, and would save many from punishment who come to him, on his terms. Once he told a guilty sinner to go, and sin no more. He did outrage those in his "capital" by showing this grace and not embracing the general opinions of the other leaders of the day, and those who would have benefited most from his continued leadership managed to kill him. Yep, those people suffered greatly.

But he freed the slaves, that is what many are most grateful for and remember. It's no surprise - it was his plan from the beginning and he came for this very reason. I would hope millions of people gather today to remember his funeral. No, you probably don't have in your pocket, at this very moment, a reminder of him. Yet I would hope, most sincerely, you are carrying it around in your heart. Randy