Crash the Future

A few days ago Larry had an interview with CNN. His interview came at the end of a very long day and took a good two hours of Larry’s time. (The interview itself lasted about an hour.) Out of all that interview material very little made it to the air last night. In fact, the only glimpse given into Larry and Wasilla Bible Church came at the end of a much longer aired segment arguably intended to paint Sarah Palin as a fringe religious fanatic.

In the course of this interview, Larry was asked about David Brickner’s (from Jews for Jesus) sermon on August 17th. Larry explained more of the context and the intent of the controversial excerpt from the sermon, giving more clarity to what was actually communicated in it's context. Larry provided plenty of brief sound bites that answered to what Brickner actually said and meant. And then, following this explanation, the correspondent asked whether Larry would consider having David Brickner as a speaker again. Larry looked her in the eye and simply responded, “Yes… Yes, I would.” Here’s the thing that CNN conveniently left out... context. They apparently didn't want Larry's explanation of that context.

The thing that the camera doesn’t catch is the lesson in integrity that I was a witness to. Larry knew full well that he was about to answer a question that could be spun to fit the pleasure of the media, but he didn’t back down. He could have thrown David Brickner under the bus, but he didn’t. Larry knows the truth of what David said, the context, the tone, and the intent, and he didn’t turn his back on a man simply because it would save himself or our church heat in the media. Larry didn’t shy away from the truth. He answered with truth and integrity, despite the potential personal cost. (If you see this segment with Larry, note that he doesn’t respond light-heartedly. Rather he responds thoughtfully, knowing the weight of what is about to occur.) That was a powerful thing for me to witness. I pray that I will remember it throughout my life and ministry. That sort of self-sacrificial, uncompromising integrity is what I, and every other Christian, am called to live out.