Monday, September 24, 2007

Does your faith define you?

The following was written by Gov. Huckabee and posted on his website this morning. I usually don't post twice in a day (read the post below), but felt this message was important enough to post. His words speak better than mine would so I have chosen to reproduce the statement here:

Recently, out on the campaign trail, a voter asked if my personal faith informed my decisions. My answer was simple, just as it always has been: my faith is my life - it defines me. My faith doesn't influence my decisions, it drives them.

Real faith makes us humble and mindful, not of the faults of others, but of our own. Because of our faith, we become less judgmental in that we see others having the same frailties as ourselves. Faith gives us strength in the face of injustice and motivates us to do our best for "the least of us."

Our forefathers birthed this great nation in a spirit of faith - not a mandate telling us what to believe, but an acknowledgement that divine providence pervades our world.

I firmly believe the greatness of our nation then, does not come from our government or politicians, but lies in the hopeful, optimistic spirit of everyday Americans. Americans who acknowledge that providence has set us apart.

At the beginning of our nation we were ill-equipped for revolution, yet we persevered and gained our independence. Our country was once divided by a costly Civil War, but we survived to heal and build a stronger union. Through the 20th century and into current times we have seen great conflicts and economic upheavals. However, the same spirit that guided the inception of our country continues to lead us out of times of trouble better than we went in. In spite of our trials we remain a people of hope, a people of faith, and we are stronger because of it.

In July, I addressed this same topic in a sermon in Little Rock. The video from my sermon is below.

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