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>”…we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required – not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.”  John F. Kennedy
 
It is not every day that one has the privilege of reading words from John F. Kennedy, G.K. Chesterton, and those of his own brother. Yet, that is exactly the situation I find myself in today.
 
One of the books I am reading through is called, [The Book of Man]( https://www.amazon.com/Book-Man-Readings-Path-Manhood/dp/B008SLV9HQ). It is a collection of essays, stories, and speeches of men through history. In this book you may find excerpts from Socrates and Cicero to General Patton and Davy Crockett.
 
This reading comes on the heels of a conversation my brother and I had a few hours ago. Last night my brother and I were up till 3 am EST catching up on life as he texted me via WhatsApp. My brother and I are texting through this medium because he is currently serving overseas in the Marines. At the moment, his unit is not engaged in open fire but he is in a region that holds that possibility.
 
>One of the things we were discussing is the mission statement that Narrow Gate Crossfit will have upon opening its doors. My brother has plans to open his own Crossfit gym once he finishes his military service and continue the physical excellence he has fostered through the Marines, Crossfit, and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu over the past decade. My brother, like my wife and I, believe that people heal as a whole, and helping them grow via physical exertion and discipline is an incredible means for creating people of nobility.
 
I found it fascinating that in my reading I came across the inaugural address of John F. Kennedy a few hours after talking with a man that is acting on those principles highlighted. 
 
No, this is not going to be some patriotic drivel praising the efforts of military men and women around the globe on behalf of the U.S. government – though they do deserve our respect. I have learned enough over the past 2-3 years from SGT Report, Alex Jones, and other alternative media outlets to know there is a story the mainstream media does not share with us.
 
**What I am going to share here is snippets of truth that my conscience cannot ignore. I stand on the wisdom of those that have come before while learning with those that are living out their convictions during troubled and often confusing times.**
 
To paraphrase what I read from Chesterton this afternoon, **men must not love their native land because it is great; they must make it great because they love it.**
 
I believe every one of us has a desire to improve the value of that which we have been given. We do so to improve our own lives, and to better the lives of our neighbors. Those neighbors may be next door, and they may be next to areas we are hesitant to engage with. The command is present nonetheless for us to love our neighbors.
 
There is value in nations and constitutions to support the rule of law and protect people from tyranny. However, I find the tribalism we are working through nowadays to be worrisome considering that every tribe, tongue, and nation is seen in the throne room of heaven.
 
While my wife and I watch television shows like ** Madam Secretary**, we earn a new respect for those that serve as ambassadors, and peacekeepers between people who harbor ill will toward one another.
 
All this is held in perspective as I marvel at the patriotism my brother exudes and the duty he feels for helping the little guys stand up to the bullies. He hears the pundits and he listens to those that would disagree with his employer, but he continues to be faithful with what he knows he can change.
 
I pray we see better days where our leaders are leaders and not just managers. I pray we see and hear the truth on a daily basis from those that have sworn they are impartial to what they are reporting. And I pray we stop bemoaning the actions of those that we only get to see a small portion of what it is that they do.
 
We are all seeking a better world to live in even as He is making good on His promise that His kingdom has come. It is already here, and it is not yet completed. May we each remember that a better world is coming; a glorious city where all nations are welcome, and all will bow the knee to the Lord of Lords.
 
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