Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!
Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for learning from the greats! Today, we’re going to be talking about loyalty to an ideal; we're going to be talking about integrity.
As most of you know, it’s the Easter weekend, when the Christian churches remember Christ’s death and resurrection from the grave. You may not be a Christian - I’m not a strong one myself - but that doesn’t make him any the less an exceptional man that should be learned from. Anyone who’s inspired and influenced the world as much as he has possesses something we can learn from, even if we don’t agree with their message or actions.
Betrayed by the thirteenth apostle, Judas, Christ was put to trial by the Romans. Even when Pontius Pilate, the Roman commander, found him not quilty, the Jewish elders demanded his execution. Christ was crucified on a cross − nailed to a piece of wood to suffocate and dehydrate to death.
But, famously, Christ prays to God in the Bible, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).
Christ was dedicated to teaching peace, to improving people’s lives. His teachings were intended to revolutionize the life of the people of the time to a better way. Simply because he was sentenced to death by his own people doesn’t mean he hated them. Perhaps he felt them mislead, wrong, maybe even foolish, but he wouldn't hate them. Whatever they’d shown themselves capable of, he had integrity. His teachings proclaimed forgiveness and peace, simply because others went against that didn’t mean he would - even at the end. His integrity, amongst his other exceptinial character traits, was perhaps the strongest. He always kept to what he taught. Whatever, whenever.
That deserves respect.
Sometimes people will do dumb things. God knows why − they just have this sudden urge to make themselves look foolish. They default on their dreams, eat recklessly and spend without caution. And sometimes, they pull you down with them. Sometimes they'll even condemn what you believe deepest in.
But you must remember that you, as an individual, have a choice. You can choose to throw away all your learning, all your progress, and regress to the level of an animal, angry and seeking revenge. Or you can stand tall and take it. I’m not saying it’s easy − I’m sure it wasn’t for Christ either, getting nails wrought through the flesh of his palms − but you notice something? All these millennia later, people remember the way Christ died. They remember the stand he made, despite his terrifying situation.
And, in keeping to his teachings to the last, in holding his integrity, it makes him and his message all the more worthy and well-respected in legacy as they were in life − perhaps more so.
Have a great Easter, if you celebrate, and otherwise enjoy your weekend!
Alex H.
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