They had.....n-o......i-d-e-a!

Election year 1985, continued:

They worked their way through the crowd towards the Clerk’s Office.

AT that time the County Clerk, Sue Profitt and the Oregon Secretary of State, Norma Paulus, came out of the Clerk’s Office and stood in front of the door. 

They then announced that from this point on ALL newly registered voters in the county would undergo a challenge and had to prove they had been in the county the required amount of time and they were legally registering. 

The emphasis was on ALL.  There are always people who change addresses or have name changes etc. that have to re-register to vote.  The State law had been changed after the Antelope fiasco where people could register AND vote the same day to a length of time in residency within the county.  Any of those would also have to go through the challenge. 

In addition because of acts of spite and harassment, many had to come in because ‘someone’ had said they had moved and sent in registration forms to that affect.  So they had to re-establish their residency.

The street people did not meet the time line.  They had come to the ranch – too late.

There were a couple of street people that shouted against the action claiming their rights were violated and the Rajneesh were very upset.  One street person ranted and raved before the cameras that he was a veteran and that he had fought for the right to vote.

The Rajneesh were claiming a conspiracy and the action was illegal.  They were a ‘bit’ upset.

Angrily they left the courthouse ranting and raving and vowing to sue.  They had been outmaneuvered and they knew it.  They had egg all over their face and didn’t like it.

I would have loved to have been a fly in their vehicles and in their meeting rooms back at the ranch, I am sure some interesting comments were being made.

There was LOTS of drama – but the ‘superior intelligence’ sources of the Rajneesh had made some very serious errors and they were exposed as the conniving, win at all costs people they were – and there was more to come.

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

I was watching a program on Queen Elizabeth II a couple of days ago.  I have a lot of respect for this woman; she just seems like a ‘cool’ person. 

While the monarchy in England has little authority there is a stability in having a Queen who has served in that capacity for 64 years.  A comfort that while things are changing so rapidly, the Queen is still there, solid as ever and cares for them.

From the beginning she pledged to serve the citizens of Great Britain to the best of her abilities.  She has her detractors as does the monarchy itself, but she has always tried to put her country first and self-second. 

The program was pro-Queen, of course, and we always need to sift through the fluff.  They did show both the good and the bad things that have happened in her reign, mainly with her children.  But the emphasis was on how she performed her duty as the Queen.

A comment by one of the people that knows her drew my attention and frankly rang true.  It was confirmed in the similar statements of others.

Wherever Queen Elizabeth goes she is hailed and admired.  People come out by the thousands to see her.  She walks among them greeting, smiling and shaking hands.  She is comfortable in her role.

The Queen understood early on in her life, that the admiration and acclaim and even love given to her by the people is not for her, it is what she represents, the monarchy.  She has never taken those adoring crowds as personal admiration and doesn’t have a ‘big’ head over it.

Several of her children and grandchildren, on the other hand, seem to accept the adoration not for the family they represent, but, personally as if they were stars. 

Indeed, the media often treats them in that way and have been following and reporting their shenanigans for years, just like movie or rock stars. 

It is a different era today than it was when the Queen grew up in; she holds to the old standards of quiet dignity.  She has garnered respect from the people and from Heads of State from all over the world. 

But even those who are in such a position can begin to think too much of themselves and that has led to the media frenzy that has followed many of her offspring. 

They are not alone of course, we see it in business and government organizations where the person in power believes that they are the end all and be all and forget it is the position they fill that gives them recognition above and beyond a more common person.

But it doesn’t have to be powerful or wealthy people that this verse is addressed to, it is everyone who places themselves, in their own mind, at a higher level than they actually are. 

I have done it and I have seen others who forget that their position deserves respect, but they have to earn the respect for themselves.  We sometimes believe that what we do is our business and because we think we are above the mix, we are thinking we are much higher than we really are.

It is easy for the ego to take over when we are in positions that have some authority.  People honor us, they look to us for advice and leadership.  But, it isn’t so much us they are respecting as it is the position we have attained.

The church and the leaders are also not exempt from getting a feeling of being more important than they are and placing themselves ‘above’ the rest of the congregation.

I can remember one minister, who confessed to our congregation, that he was in violation of this verse.  He had started looking at himself as being worthy of more respect than he had been given.  While a minor thing, he pointed out that in the parking lot was a space reserved for him.  It had his name on it, and he deserved that recognition.  He finally realized what he was actually doing.

He realized as time went on, that he was looking for confirmation of who he was from people and had left God out of the equation.

To him it was a sign of prestige.  It happens all the time in this world.  People get upset if they think their office is even square inches smaller than someone else who they have a poor opinion about – even if their official positions are similar.

Of course perks, etc. are also a demonstration of how important a person is, so it is craved by those who strive for recognition and will do anything to get it.

Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t wrong to respect a person, or to strive for respect from others, but it is wrong when we proclaim in words and deeds, ‘look how important I am.’

It is too easy to let the world’s definition of success become our measure for spiritual success.

I remember once thinking that if I was a minister I would strive to be in a position of authority – such as a District Superintendent or head of a department in the ‘home office.’  I thought of it as drive.  ‘twasn’t long before I realized my error.

That ain’t the way God views it.  No matter what we do, if we do it for Him, then we will receive our DUE.  When we start thinking we are better than others, we start on a slide to sin and we start doing things to make us look better instead of giving God the glory.

It isn’t wrong to do your best, to desire for a higher position in your work place, but it must always strived for with God’s direction in our life, not just to make ourselves feel more important.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again