20 June | Youth
«A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.» Proverbs 29:23
Some of the rarest objects in the Library of Congress of the United States are stored in a small blue box. On the outside of the small box there is a label pasted on which said: “Contents of the President’s pockets on the night of April 14, 1865.” Inside the box, there are five objects that were in Abraham Lincoln’s pockets the night he was assassinated: a handkerchief embroidered with his name, a pocketknife, an eyeglass case fixed with string, a wallet containing a five-dollar bill and some old and worn articles cut from newspapers.
These articles talk about some of Lincoln’s great accomplishments. One is an article by John Bright, claiming that the president was “one of the greatest men of all time.”
Today it is easy to accept this because we know that in fact Lincoln was one of the greatest statesmen the world has known. However, in his day, he was not seen like that. Thousands of people hated him and criticized him cruelly. To the point where he needed the self-affirmation of some old newspaper clippings.
There are two places we can occupy in this life: playing the role of victim or being an agent of change. Victims are passive. Agents make it happen. The position you take determines the type of life you lead and, consequently, the result you will achieve.
Many people live sitting in the corners of life suffering and regretting. Some are convinced that they can do nothing to change their situation. The agents, however, are restless. They do not let circumstances lead but do everything they can to shape them: they take risks, take responsibilities, make decisions, and get on with life.
Honor is one of the most valuable virtues in existence. It does not happen overnight. If a person keeps their word, is true to their convictions and is trustworthy, sooner or later everyone will know that this person is a rare breed. Only time will tell what kind of person they are, victim or agent. However, their actions reveal their character.
Abraham Lincoln was one of those people. He did not receive the applause he deserved during his lifetime, but time put him in his rightful place, etching his name in history. Do what is right, and God, at the right time, will certainly honor your name.