There is something that strikes me about Abraham Lincoln that is so much like others who have tried to create change in society by being a bridge between waring factions.
Abraham Lincoln lived a tortured life. He was physically ill. He had a disease that would have taken his life in the near future in the event John Wilkes Booth hadn't shot him. He had a wife who was abusive to him and mentally unstable. He lost two of his children and one of them in the White House when he was president. He had to deal with one of the most troubled periods of American history in the Civil War. I'm guessing he was bi-polar and he had these fits of depression.
Paul, the Apostle was attacked by his own people and his family. He was rejected by the religious people of his time. He wrote about the "thorn in his flesh". We don't know what that was but we realize that he has some personal issues he was struggling with all his life.
He wrote about how he had "a great anguish in his heart" and how he felt "an outcast" and cut off from his own people.
Both Paul and Lincoln had their personal problems. I think it was the pain in their lives that enable them to understand their adversaries to the point they could work with them. They had compassion because of their passion. They were able to move from compassion to change. They had a choice to make with all the bad things that happened to them and they decided to act on those things in a positive way.
What negative things in your life are you able to transform into something positive? If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of this blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
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