Washington's Wisdom

Today, we consider the character of a Christian and recognize that the presence of Christ in us means
we have the resources to live out the Christian life effectively. 2nd Peter 1 states:
(5) ...giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We call ourselves Christians, and that is more than just a label - it can be a measure of how much we exemplify Christ, to what degree we prioritize living like Him.  He will instill in us a desire to be more like Him and provide us with the power to carry out His mission and to serve Him wholeheartedly.  We can seek to reflect His character, full of love for Him and for the people around us - our faith in Christ should be producing fruit for the Lord.

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On this day set aside to celebrate the birthday and life of George Washington, we can reflect on what he had to say about Christian character - I will share that quote later.  I thought about how we can wear the title of "Christian" well.  There was a man named Barnabas, who apparently did just that, whom we read about in Acts chapter 11:
24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.
26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

This is the Federal holiday that has been set aside in February - it is called by most President's Day, and I have thought that it was set up to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and George Washington on the 22nd.  The concept was said to be expanded to honor all Presidents and, well, to provide a three-day weekend.  However, the official name of the holiday is...Washington's Birthday!!  WhiteHouse.gov has some information about that:

Today, we celebrate Washington’s Birthday on the third Monday of February each year—the result of the 1968 law mandating that a number of federal holidays occur on Mondays.

It goes on to say:

Rep. Robert McClory (R-IL), representing “the land of Lincoln,” attempted to change the name of the holiday to “Presidents’ Day” in 1968. But that measure proved to be particularly controversial for legislators from Virginia, Washington’s home state. The provision was soon dropped.

McClory did gain the concession of having the holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February, which falls between Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12 and Washington’s 10 days later. It appeared to many that a federal holiday now existed to celebrate both Washington and Lincoln—as well as America’s other 43 commanders in chief. This interpretation was fueled by the numerous states that adopted “Presidents’ Day” as the holiday’s name, rather than the traditional “Washington’s Birthday.”

I did want to take a moment to reflect on the devotion to prayer in the life of our first President, George Washington.  Perhaps you're familiar with the President's Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1789.  According to the Mount Vernon website:

Washington issued a proclamation on October 3, 1789, designating Thursday, November 26 as a national day of thanks. In his proclamation, Washington declared that the necessity for such a day sprung from the Almighty’s care of Americans prior to the Revolution, assistance to them in achieving independence, and help in establishing the constitutional government.

But, it was back in 1778, in which Washington issued another proclamation - for a day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer, following the legendary brutal winter at Valley Forge. Noted historian William Federer quotes Lutheran pastor Henry Muhlenberg at the American Minute website:

"From all appearances General Washington does not belong to the so-called world of society, for he respects God's Word, believes in the atonement through Christ, and bears himself in humility and gentleness.

Therefore, the Lord God has also singularly, yea, marvelously preserved him from harm in the midst of countless perils, ambuscades, fatigues, etc., and has hitherto graciously held him in his hand as a chosen vessel."

Federer goes on to say:

Washington successfully kept the army intact through the devastating winter, and gave the order at Valley Forge, April 12, 1778:

"The Honorable Congress having thought proper to recommend to the United States of America to set apart Wednesday, the 22nd inst., to be observed as a day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer, that at one time, and with one voice, the righteous dispensations of Providence may be acknowledged, and His goodness and mercy towards our arms supplicated and implored:

The General directs that the day shall be most religiously observed in the Army; that no work shall be done thereon, and that the several chaplains do prepare discourses."

In May of that year, Washington called for "Divine Service" every Sunday, stating, "To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to laud the more distinguished Character of Christian."

So, today we celebrate the birthday of someone who demonstrated a personal faith and had a healthy respect for the role of faith in the life of our nation.  We can consider a couple of principles.

For one thing, just taking that previous quote, Washington spoke of the "Character of Christian." The word, Christian, is more than just a label or a designation of a social club.  I believe we are defined as being related to Christ, embracing the teachings of Christ, and exemplifying Christ, allowing Him to to be seen through us.

There are those who have unfortunately been led to believe in this country that a robust practice of religious faith, including Christianity, cannot be carried out.  We are told we should keep our Christianity in a box, and that the government should not be involved in religious practice.  You have to wonder why it is that religion, of all the philosophies that influence our nation, should be cast aside?  Christians practicing Christianity pose a distinct threat to the secularists, but we should not be intimidated, but boldly live out our faith, to the glory of God.