Daniel Albrant

Blessed Assurance – To the victor

In 1828, New York Senator William L. Marcy uttered a phrase that described what he saw going on with political cronyism and nepotism leading to a small number of people benefiting from this unhealthy and unethical behavior. He said, “to the victor belong the spoils”. In his day and ours, the victors of any contest do not only win that contest, but they gain even more from contract bonuses and endorsement deals worth more than the winnings from the actual event. Likewise, we see small numbers of people benefiting from preferential treatment in contracting and in some political appointments. Insider trading, backroom deals, lobbying, dark money payments to political candidates are all bets by the givers that if they are victorious then they will reap far more than they have sowed.

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Blessed Assurance – Acting out

Ienjoy having children as part of worship. They bring spontaneity, joy, energy, inquisitiveness and wonder to what’s going on. There are times, however, where they are in an emotional state where they just need to act out. Sometimes life is just a little too much for them and they have a meltdown – sometimes right in the middle of the Sanctuary. While the parents are mortified, all of us who have been parents of young children know that these things will happen, and we rush to comfort the parents once the “event” has passed. Truthbe- told, in our world today it’s not just the children who are acting out – folks who are long beyond their childhood lose their minds and act out in ways that are both visible and harmful.

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