“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit.” (Aristotle)
Readers/friends, here’s a glimpse into my daily life. Daily, Capitol Commission, through www.Pray1Tim2.org, emails me a list of six Montana Legislators for whom I pray. These six usually include one MT legislator in D.C., two MT State Senators, and three MT State Representatives.
Capitol Commission suggests one of eight prayer topics: courage, discernment, moral integrity, perseverance, salvation through Christ, self-control, teachability and wisdom. Then I email these elected officials something I’ve written about the virtue for the day. To avoid duplicates, I record the legislators to whom I send a specific piece.
Pray, copy/paste and then email is simple enough for me to maintain daily contact. Particular officials receive my email prayer/encouragement once a month.
As the number of legislators increase who have received a piece I’ve written about a specific virtue, I ask God for help writing a new article.
During the legislative session, these pieces may be short – or not. Normally, the emails legislators receive are filled with complaints and demands. Some legislators tell me they like a break from their normal emails and read mine.
One Thursday morning during session, I arrived at the Capitol at 6:00AM for our 6:30 – 7:30 Legislator/Staff/Friends Prayer/Bible study.
Afterwards, I sat with my computer on a bench on the Capitol’s third floor, by the fan window – overlooking the fantastic vista of the Sleeping Giant.
The Capitol, unusually quiet, gave me space for a new study about Courage – where we ask: “When did the fear of God help you overcome the fear of other people”?
Fittingly, I highlighted stalwart Hebrew midwives, Shiprah (“Beautiful”) and Puah (“To Shine”), who disobeyed mighty Pharoah’s command to kill baby boys born to Hebrew women. (Exodus 1:15-22) What heroines!
Note, God leaves nameless Pharaoh to obscurity but not the midwives! “The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.” (Proverbs 10:7)
As I finished writing, a legislator sat down. Discovering I had written about these heroines, she asked me to read. At the end, she commented: “That’s what I needed.” We prayed. Supported, she left to continue her work.
In 2024, I calculated I had, over the years, sent legislators 14,000 emails.
Here’s another example about courage:
Dear (names of five MT officials)
Thank you for serving many. It’s an honor to pray for you today. Our topic is “courage.”
Courageous Spartan mothers/women quoted these parting words to their sons/grandsons/neighbors as they left for battle: “Come back with your shield – or on it.” The clear meaning: “Come back victorious, or come back dead. Cowards are not welcome home.”
Christ, pondering the valor of the Spartans, we now look to You. First, Jesus, tell us about the counterpart of courage, cowardice.
“I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the ‘cowardly,’ the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, the second death.” (Revelation 21:6-8)
Jesus, seated on Your Throne You list eight deadly sins beginning with cowardice and ending with lying. Which is the pinnacle and which is the foundation – is it cowardice or lying? Does it matter? Lying and cowardice collaborate each other.
Let’s say cowardice is the foundation. Friend, you and I know cowardice’s supposed bulwark will soon crack – like a politician caving to cultural pressure – spinning his retreat as advance. Leaders have been given a megaphone. Cowardly speech leads many astray – increasing lawlessness – betraying the calling of God and persuading others that such betrayal is survival. A coward’s silence may prompt others to believe his silence is wisdom – for people reason: “After all, does not our leader represent the good of the community?” Cowardice replaces moral gumption. What a fraud! The fainthearted are seen as prudent and compromisers as compassionate. If cowardice is the foundation, the whole edifice, built on sand, collapses.
But what if cowardice is the pinnacle? What an affront – especially to God!
Consider the builders of the Washington Monument. Understanding a capstone’s worth, what did they want God to see?
When completed, the Washington Monument stood 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches, at that time, the world’s tallest building. In D.C., no structure can be built higher than the Washington Monument. Placed in 1884, the capstone marked the completion.
The builders crafted the capstone’s very rare aluminum, at that time scarcer than gold, into a small pyramid, under nine inches tall, weighing only 100 ounces. But, this miniature pyramid contained a message greater than the immense, fantastic pyramids of Egypt.
Friend, read the matchless message they designed to be above all others. The rising sun shone on Latin words: “Laus Deo,” “Praise be to God!”
How many pass by and never know that “Praise be to God” is the most prominent message displayed over Washington D. C.?
But, God, You know.
Alternatively, what if somehow the pinnacle cowardly described godlessness? Almighty God, cowardice portrays You as fragile, unworthy of trust. Jesus, cowards are unrepentant traitors to You and Your ways, deserters from the kingdom of God.
Instead, Jesus, You began Your public ministry declaring: “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Holy Spirit, You provoke leaders first to repent, rejecting sin as unworthy and dangerous. They sorrow when they fathom they have forsaken You or Your ways. And, filled with faith, these leaders are first to believe Your word – trust Your promises – risking everything for Your glory.
Jesus, King of kings, Lord of lords, Ruler of nations, slay our cowardice and give us Your courage.
Praying,
Steve
And, friend, as I pray of our legislators, so I pray for you.
