THE OPINIONS OF THE MOMENT
On November 19, 1863 at a dedication of a war memorial, President Abraham Lincoln had just com-
pleted his speech and was returning to his seat. In shame and embarrassment, he turned to one of his
aides and said, “That speech won’t scour. It was a flat failure.” On that wintery afternoon, others were
saying the same thing.
“It is not what I expected,” said one. “I am disappointed” added a General. The newspapers were not
as kind. One called it “ignorant rudeness” that the President’s speech--following a two hour oration by a
statesman--would consist of ten sentences and take only two minutes, fifteen seconds to deliver the 271
words. Other newspapers said it was “dull...commonplace...in bad taste...silly....flat and dishwatery.”
That “flop” of a speech, by the way, was Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” as we call it today. It is
now held to be one of the classic orations in our nation’s history.
Time tends to prove all of us to be fools from time to time. It has consistently shown that the
opinions of the moment are not really good over the scope of years. We are poor judges of what is good
or bad, because tastes and fashions change. What one generation considers wonderful at the moment
may not even be remembered by the next. I wonder if anyone remembers who that statesman was who
spoke for two hours just before Abraham Lincoln gave his speech that day? I wonder if anyone remem-
bers what that statesman had to say? It just proves the point doesn’t it?
That is what God has been telling us all along. It is the world that always laughs at the child of God
for the faith he holds. Few generations have ever held it popular to be right or to do right. Yet the Chris-
tian must go on walking a different path. Paul said to be “...in nothing terrified by your adversaries”
(Phil. 1:28). Peter wrote, “But even if ye should suffer for righteousness’ sake, blessed are ye: and fear
not their fear, neither be troubled” (1 Pet. 3:14). A Christian then cannot bow to the world and its pressure or dance to its tune. The Christian must
walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7), doing what is right--no matter what; trusting that eternity will consider his
work to be good, even if time doesn’t. That is what faith is all about. Paul said that if we are trying to
please men, we should not be servants of Christ (Gal. 1:10). By the way, which are you trying to please:
men or God? You know what your answer should be, don’t you?
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Some men grow--others just swell.
Have a great week!
Love ya,
Jesse
pleted his speech and was returning to his seat. In shame and embarrassment, he turned to one of his
aides and said, “That speech won’t scour. It was a flat failure.” On that wintery afternoon, others were
saying the same thing.
“It is not what I expected,” said one. “I am disappointed” added a General. The newspapers were not
as kind. One called it “ignorant rudeness” that the President’s speech--following a two hour oration by a
statesman--would consist of ten sentences and take only two minutes, fifteen seconds to deliver the 271
words. Other newspapers said it was “dull...commonplace...in bad taste...silly....flat and dishwatery.”
That “flop” of a speech, by the way, was Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” as we call it today. It is
now held to be one of the classic orations in our nation’s history.
Time tends to prove all of us to be fools from time to time. It has consistently shown that the
opinions of the moment are not really good over the scope of years. We are poor judges of what is good
or bad, because tastes and fashions change. What one generation considers wonderful at the moment
may not even be remembered by the next. I wonder if anyone remembers who that statesman was who
spoke for two hours just before Abraham Lincoln gave his speech that day? I wonder if anyone remem-
bers what that statesman had to say? It just proves the point doesn’t it?
That is what God has been telling us all along. It is the world that always laughs at the child of God
for the faith he holds. Few generations have ever held it popular to be right or to do right. Yet the Chris-
tian must go on walking a different path. Paul said to be “...in nothing terrified by your adversaries”
(Phil. 1:28). Peter wrote, “But even if ye should suffer for righteousness’ sake, blessed are ye: and fear
not their fear, neither be troubled” (1 Pet. 3:14). A Christian then cannot bow to the world and its pressure or dance to its tune. The Christian must
walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7), doing what is right--no matter what; trusting that eternity will consider his
work to be good, even if time doesn’t. That is what faith is all about. Paul said that if we are trying to
please men, we should not be servants of Christ (Gal. 1:10). By the way, which are you trying to please:
men or God? You know what your answer should be, don’t you?
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Some men grow--others just swell.
Have a great week!
Love ya,
Jesse
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