Foreign Policy

Something came into focus for me while I was watching TV news coverage of the national NDP party voting on their position regarding the war in Afghanistan.
The sentiment of most members seemed to be that we (Canada) have no business waging war in some other country. Their affairs are their own, and we are interfering. I could not disagree more. Let me phrase that another way… that’s crap! The fact that some wars are a mistake is not in dispute. My opinion is that while war is horrible, it is necessary in today’s world. Perhaps we will someday reach a place globally where war is done away with, but “it is not this day”. So… it remains that whatever democratic countries able to afford a military, are morally obliged to serve the world by defending the helpless and destroying oppression and injustice. The question is not if we should be at war, but where we should be at war. If not Afghanistan, fine, but then where?
I hate seeing images of coffins draped with my flag on TV. But I know that those young men and women signed up to give their lives to a Canada that will make a difference in the world. They signed up to FIGHT bad people. That is a noble thing, not a barbaric act. Many ignorant Canadians dishonor their sacrifice by believing that war is not necessary. If those dreamers would go live in Iraq, Iran, North Korea, or Afghanistan, I wonder if they would learn appreciate a little rescue.
The world is a giant neighborhood, complete with rich and poor, police and criminals. I want the police to have guns, and know how to use them. I don’t agree that the US is the world’s police. But someone has to be! And Canada must be represented on that force. If the UN won’t do it, then we have to find another way.
The biggest problem with my sentiment here is that it relies on our government to decide where to war against evil in the world. Where to pay the cost of our young blood and know that it is well spent. I don’t envy them those decisions, but they have to rise to the challenge and lead with integrity, and determination.For a hundred years Canada has fought injustice and oppression around the world. It is part of our history, our identity. I for one am proud of that. I challenge you Canada, read the papers differently, vote differently, or at least, buy a soldier a coffee.

What Would a Smart Person Do?

Those of you who know me will undoubtedly have heard me utter this question a thousand times. Recently I was musing how this has become part of a life philosophy for me. Not just trying to be a “smart person”, but actually asking myself the deeper question “who do I want to be?”
Character is huge – it is at the bottom of all I am and do. I want to live out the pure man of God that my Creator designed me to be. I see character in three ways…

The first facet of character is the actual reality of who I am, the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is the real character I am regardless of how I might see myself. My true character will eventually come out of me and show who I really am – so I better work on being real to the core, and not a fraud.

Second is the way I see myself. I’m sure we all can agree that on any given day – our self-image can get pretty screwed up. The challenge is to learn ways to see clearly. Good friends, mentors, accountability partner’s etc. will help. Most of all I want to se what God sees when he looks at me. This requires that I ask Him, and learn how to listen, regularly!

The last way I see character (and this is my point) is who I want to be. Special thanks to Switchfoot for the song that goes “…this is your life, are you who you want to be?” So I need to ask myself; “who do I want to be?” This picture in my head needs to be the identity God has created me for, or as much of it as I can see. This allows me to envision my growth. It equips me to deal with choices in life by asking; “what would the person I want to be - do in this situation?” Kinda’ like “what would a smart person do?” These questions help me act on who I want to be, rather than on selfish impulses, or sinful nature patterns. I have the choice to act from my growing character! Don't ask "what would Jesus do?" Jesus lives in you! Instead ask "what would I do?"

This philosophy has been snowballing in my head for a while – thanks Reid for helping me decide that it’s worth writing down.