I had the opportunity today to meet Vice President Mike Pence....well that's embellishing what happened....for it was no more than shaking hands and making a few comments of which he replied....and I was nervous. It was a luncheon in his honor.....billed as....God and Mike Pence....A Spiritual Life. I'm not going to give a summary of his testimony for you can read the full story in his 2022 autobiography....So Help Me God.
               What I would like to do is relate one question given to him afterards....and his answer. The question was....'What word of advice would he give to pastors?'. He paused.....and I'm glad that he did.....for the question even threw me.....as I thought to myself....that what is really important was....what word would they have for him.
                Sure enough....the former Vice President gave almost that same answer.....for after pausing....and maybe struggling a little with question himself....he quoted Scripture....a concise summary of....2 Timothy 4:2...."preach the word.....in season and out of season."
                There was a comment in the middle of his talk that touched me....I wish that I could remember the exact word that he used....it probably wasn't as strong as this...but the implication was the same....that when he was a young man....just getting interested in the workings of government....and reading of past presidents....and a Democrat at the time....that he loved JFK. I know where he is coming from....for as an 18 year old at the time I surely loved RFK.
                 My comment to Mike Pence in the receiving line....was that I once shook Jimmy Carter's hand....so in a long life....it was just he....and Jimmy Carter....and that I was satisfied and honored with that. He said something nice about our 39th president....and acknowledged some differences in the two of them....and that was it.
                 There were some leaders in our past.....that fallible as they were....(and Mike Pence acknowledged in his talk that he was also fallible)....they could actually draw out love from us. Reagan was one of them. One felt that no matter where they would lead....or what would lie ahead....that one could follow them.
                 Mike Pence is one of those men....(or it could be women.....for I would have felt that about Margaret Thatcher had I lived in England)....and I think that there may be a few others out there today. Difficult times are ahead....more difficult than any political science professor  or political commentator can describe or even imagine. These leaders out there are all fallible men....(women)....as all pastors are fallible men.....as we all are all fallible....and no one it seems more than me....but when it is obvious that they know that their abilities come from God....and that God alone raises leaders....for His purposes....or brings them down....for His purposes....then one can put their trust fully in Christ....and look at these leaders....not as one strong enough and wise enough to lead....but one humble enough and therefore deserving enough to lead....and for us to give them their due respect and follow.