Be prepared

If the last few months of political debates and personal attacks have taught us nothing else, the least we should come away way with is the message to be prepared at all times. It really doesn't matter which political party you affiliate yourself with or with which candidate you find yourself most in line with, we have seen that no matter how a person may profess to be at this moment their past deeds are always waiting there, in the wings, to be brought forward into the light. That practice should give all of us pause to contemplate how what we choose can effect our ability to witness to others in times of moral uncertainty. Because when we feel the need to put ourselves out there in controversial issues, and stand for what we believe is right, we risk having our failures brought to the forefront and exposed.
Have we safeguarded our good name and reputation or have we sacrificed our ability to speak or witness, for a brief moment of instant gratification or because doing the right thing was just too hard? Make no mistake, evil in our world is alive and well, and it flourishes in our silence. We know that it's wrong for a man and woman to live together like they are married when they are not, yet do we allow our adult children to act immorally by our silence when we should be seizing the moment to teach them? Have we ourselves been silenced by our past? E are called to proclaim the Gospel to all people and not just when it seems safe for us to do so. We are called not to pass judgement but to teach what our Lord Jesus has taught to us, no matter the cost to us. When we let embarrassment restrain us from the will of God, we allow evil to grow in strength and affect more people.
May we find the courage to witness to the truth and live our lives in such a way that our witness may be heard. May we love those around us enough to care for their spiritual welfare as well as their material needs, and may God, in his wisdom give us the words to speak, the courage to speak them and the mercy to forgive those around us as well as ourselves so that we might not be restrained in our efforts to further his kingdom here on earth.
God bless you today.