Biography

The concept of modeling as taught in Scripture is impressive, and practiced, commonly without awareness, by masses of persons.  The concept is often misperceived and misapplied, but that is not cause to by-pass the concept.  We ought to offer a pattern of life that other persons can follow to benefit.  It is sometimes followed to disaster.  Law enforcement personnel know that when some fad begins – like when a killing at a high school occurs – they will be faced with a bevy of persons mimicking the tragic example.  The public often takes up that follow-up principle in beliefs, in clothing styles, even in the way hair is groomed.  The move is endless for good and ill.  We must not leave it to the fadists as a system for life.  Scripture argues that the model principle should be applied for Christian life – to live like Jesus would live in the Christian, or like the Apostles when they had sifted out the follies of their lives, and that extends to other saints, even to all Christians.  So we either lead or follow to prove our ideals.  In balance we do both.

George Washington was so admired that he was followed in life and after death.  His concepts (as in two terms for the president) ultimately became law of the land, when it was amended from popular belief in 1940, a hundred and forty years after he died.  Other presidents made their additions and subtractions.  Henry Clay changed the Congress for good in its organization and approach to problems – changes that survive to our time.  He aspired to the presidency, but played the game against fierce odds, losing the opportunity.  In the persons of history, lessons for mankind and democracy emerge.  Serious persons among us want to leave something of themselves to earth and society in some way – legacy.  It was a driving force in Lincoln.  He appeared to be afraid he would die before he could achieve it.  He barely made it.  These best leaders and candidates had taken seriously their legacies.  They wanted to be right and to be continued.  The pattern seems natural/spiritual but may be partly weakened or lost in the volumes of the masses and decline or lift in idealism.  As magnificent as modern life is in providing opportunity for more comfortable life, for more services, for personal self-oriented experience, it may fail to provide in advancing years a sense of meaning in both human and spiritual factors of righteousness, intelligence, human relationship practicing love, patience, involvement in leadership, and satisfaction related to personal peace.  The dramatic increase of young persons living alone, the decline in life parenting, the appeals of a silent selfishness, and various separating qualities, suggest amended life in the future.  The decline among children for a marriage like their parents is major evidence of loss in the perception of following after.  Both in the model and changes of new generations there may be loss.  Models may try to decline to be models.  They can’t retire the principle by failing it.  Those who follow after will always take something from those who have gone before.  Everyone leaves a footprint no matter how shallow.

The loss of righteousness that serves others, of loving contexts, of backing away from time, dream and faith factors will make closing years of a person’s life less satisfactory than it ought to be – perhaps far less. At more than ninety years of age, I am engaged in writing daily Pages; maintaining relationships with my children and their mates; engaging with a great-grandson, in the fulfillment of his plans for life and education; sustaining pleasant exchanges with former students and other friends, finding time for prayer and personal improvement; and, enjoying management of life’s duty – and much more.  I want to model Christian life to others, in family and community until energy is fully spent.  From a secular article I read: Most people are not wise enough.  We’ll all find out come Doomsday.  For most of us it will be too late then.  The writer further raised the question about whether matters will be funny – then?  This was followed by words from Anthony Cronin: You cannot give enough thought / To the state of your account, / its balance of good and evil, / for when that hour arrives / It will be too late / To add or subtract.  So much is implied in our words.  Call self to attention, even if persons believe life is a joke played out for a few decades and melting like a vapor of a cool morning in the fall of the year.  What is your autobiography?