There’s Hope For the Nation!

Nancy and I have just returned from state-wide speaking contest put on by Christian Communicators of Ohio in Columbus. We had six grandchildren competing in that contest, which involved debating and giving speeches on various subjects, some of which were prepared in advance and some were extemporaneous speeches covering a wide range of subjects. Some were concerning the defense of the Christian faith. Some were humorous, some were persuasive. The subjects of the speeches ranged from current political events, to climate change, to abortion, to literary criticism. All of the speeches were inspiring and appealed to higher human values.

Aside from just enjoying the speeches, Nancy and I served as judges trying to evaluate speeches and apply fair grades on the quality of each speech. Each young person received written reports on how well they presented their subject.

We noted that the quality of this event featured speeches that were being closely evaluated—and something more. Young people in this contest remarkably demonstrated Christian ideals in their dress and in their deportment. They demonstrated excellent behavior toward one another during debates, showing that it is possible to be respectful and courteous to other people while strongly disagreeing with their viewpoints.

If American leadership can emulate behavior and values such as those  that were demonstrated at this contest, there is, indeed, a strong possibility of renewed national leadership with moral and political integrity. Let’s pray for that!