There’s two things that I really dislike, one is arrogance, another is stupidity, but when you put men together who are arrogant about their stupidity…now, that’s something that I can really put a hate on.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Cain)
“…we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
–Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV)
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I’m so tired to the arrogance of those demanding political correctness and holler “racism” at every word that comes from the mouths of certain people or people of certain persuasion. The above quotation really put it in a nutshell; these folks are arrogant about their stupidity. I was accused of racism twice in my 39 years of being an educator. One was when I called a group of “mixed race” kids a bunch of little boys. One father was upset that I referred to his son as a boy; I was informed that he was a young man. To make the story short I told him that his son needed to quit acting like a “little boy” and start acting like a young man. The other time was in the classroom and a student said I made a racist remark. I can’t even remember what it was, it was that insignificant. I told them to go talk to some people who had really faced racism.
So now we tear down statutes of great men. Why? Because they owned slaves. Get rid of everything Jefferson and Washington as they were slave owners. For sure get Jackson’s face off the twenty dollar bill! Those Civil War statutes have got to go; tear them down. They weren’t put up because they were slave owners; they were put up because of their ideals, their character. I’m a historian, so put aside the nonsense about the past and look at the person. For the past five decades or so we have tried to point out the faults of people; prior to that we looked to their accomplishments.
The following are rules of guidelines that Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson kept in his private book. It would be good for us to include them in our lives.
–Through life let your principal object be the discharge of duty.
–Disregard public opinion to be at peace with all men.
–Sacrifice your life rather than your word.
–Endeavor to do well everything which you undertake.
–Never speak disrespectfully of any one without a cause.
–Spare no effort to suppress selfishness, unless that effort would entail sorrow.
–Let your conduct toward men have some uniformity.
–Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
–A man is know by the company he keeps. Be cautious in your selection. There is the danger of catching the habits of your associates.
–Seek those who are intelligent and virtuous; and if possible, those who are a little above you, especially in moral excellence.
“Jackson’s Christian character, humility, and confidence were shaped through his fear of God and reading the Bible. His creation of maxims for himself was evidence of his daily walk with the Lord. Through the wisdom and knowledge of God, Jackson chose to live a holy life governed by the Word of God and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.” (Terry Tuley, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Civil War)
Since I started with a list by Paul in Romans about character, and then gave a list from Stonewall Jackson, let me finish today with words from Peter.
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love… For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his own sins.”
–2 Peter 1:5-7,9 (NKJV)
Don’t you dare be stupidly arrogant; keep filled with the Spirit and follow God’s Word.
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Today in the Texas Revolution: The Mexican army arrives on the west bank of the Nueces River.