Day 27- Earnest is better than hip

TLL series today details how Pausch says it is more important to be earnest than hip.

Earnest: adj, Resulting from or showing intense conviction: "an earnest student".

Hip: adj, Following the latest fashion, esp. in popular music and clothes.

Agreed. There is something to be said for a firmly held belief or opinion. It is one of the things I hate so much about politicians, where is their conviction?

I won't call out names, but on the local level, my district had a commissioner for years & years. I am not going to speak on her personally, but professionally (as it relates to her public position) she was the worst fence straddler. Whomever had the most representatives at the weekly commission meeting would be with whom she sided. My respect for her is nil because I never saw her stand for anything.

I cannot remember for the life of me what I was reading the other day, but the article was about what you would do if one of your friends is being racist. Would you go against them or remain silent in the face of peer pressure?

This chapter also makes me think of a recent lesson from church. The other week we talked about the Passion and Peter's denial of Jesus. Our Sunday School class reflected on what we would do if we were a disciple of Jesus the day of the crucifixion. Would we be strong enough to admit that we were his follower? In a related sermon entitled, "Walking with Jesus in a Riot" my pastor asked this question as well. What would you do? Would you hold to your convictions if your life depended on it? What about if the safety of your children depended on it?

I would like to say yes I would, but the truth is, I would think about my children first. I don't know if I would have the gumption to put my life in jeopardy knowing that it could result in my children being motherless or themeless being killed. This is something I have to struggle with as a Christian, and pray that I would do the right thing in the end. But as of today, I cannot say that I would. Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

--Dear God, help me to lay my allegiance at the foot of respectable causes. I pray that I have enough conviction to do the right thing, even in the face of danger. Help me to always be earnest, especially when it comes to you and your truth. Amen.