What is in his bucket?

Just when I am convinced Pat Robertson can no longer do anything to surprise me, he does. Yesterday he advocated the assassination of the Venezuelan President. I am cannot believe this statement could be made by anyone who calls himself a Christian. Where in all of his studies of the Scripture did he come to the conclusion that the way to deal with a foreign government you would like to see changed calls for murder?

Sadly he has the potential to reach millions with his twisted thinking. Sadder still, many will take his words as right without bothering to think for themselves. I most often consider myself a "conservative Christian" but depending on the issue I am sometimes a liberal. I am deeply bothered to be thrown into the same pot this man is in. He makes us all look bad.

I guess the reason this disturbed me so is I find myself hearing angry hateful words from more people I believe to be children of God. Is everybody becoming bitter or am I just more sensitive to it? I enjoy being politically active but am seriously considering lessening my actions. I am unable to bear all the mean-spirited rhetoric about democrats. Adversarial does not have to be spiteful. I am surprised to find just how vicious the talk can get from folks who claim to know the love of God.

My dad impressed me deeply with a sermon he gave once. He talked of holding a bucket as you traveled through life. When times got tough or the way was difficult you might get jostled and spill from your bucket. The only things that could fall from your bucket were the things that were in there in the first place. If hate and anger spill then they were there to begin with. If your bucket is filled with love and peace, no matter how hard life becomes they are the only things you can spill out. I am sure I have paraphrased him badly but you get the basic idea.

This concept has been important to me ever since I heard it. I try to make sure the only things spilling from me are kindness and love. I believe how we behave in an instant is the truest indicator of who we are. Everyone who has known me even a short while has probably heard me say it. I have little patience for people who act with malice and then claim they didn't mean to. It had to be present in them for it to appear at all. With enough time anyone can be kind, the person you want around is the one to whom it comes instantly and constantly. I hope to be that person.

Well, this is probably enough rambling from a person who can't sleep.