In a trivial election spat with the PM, Anthony Albanese, referring to his weight loss, dropped this one: “And I hope that, in public life, one of the things that we seek to do, as well, is to provide good examples to people.”
Absolutely agree AA! Providing good examples to the Australian people. So overcoming obesity, getting ‘match-fit’ as he said is commendable. Very minimal. We need much more than that in the area of example.
And the one bumping the top of the list is to do with arguably the most important example – exampling what is paramount for the welfare of children and families and the stability of our communities. Good strong, faithful, loving marriages which on all research data provide the best human nourishment for our successive generations.
Faithful marriages, the sensitive critical heart of all of this. Yes, the best you can do Mr PM or Mr/Ms politician is example a faithful marriage where love and honour flow as deep currents, withstanding the stormy waters of family life which comes to all.
We’ve just had a media re-run of the stories of Bob Hawke’s sexual excesses, justified by him that they helped relieve the stress of the office. We are told Hazel knew and suffered it. And then she was abandoned, when he married his long time lover with whom he had been fornicating for some time. Example? Maybe, yes! An example that added just that little bit more permission to other Ausssie males (and females) to go and do likewise. Its OK for Bob, he’s a larrikan and always says “I’m not perfect” so why not. Who knows, but it’s that example thing again asserted by AA.
Ministers of the Word were held to a high standard here; if you had left your spouse and remarried you couldn’t be a minister. They are held to much higher standards than politicians or anyone else. Fair enough, they are the moral and spiritual leaders in the nation.
Of course there are failures and broken hearts. But as a pastor I have seen the terrible wreck adultery leaves. But also, and I wish there were more of these, the glorious restoration repentance, forgiveness and the miracle of renewed first love can do. And oh, so thrilled are the young children to see mum and dad together.
I’m not talking about the cases of violence or desertion or dysfunctional behaviours or awful mental breakdowns. No, I’m talking about the example of faithful marriages, through better or worse, that’s all. No judgments, no rejections. The covenant of marriage. Simply the lifting of the best example for the people.
I don’t know AA’s situation, but we have seen something of the PM’s, and it truly is an example of a very, very important life issue.
Interviewer Kymba Cahill in WA challenged the PM on his acknowledgement that his wife helped him understand women’s abuse issues. So he needs his wife to tell him – he should have known it by himself, she opined! That’s really weird. Was it not intelligent, thoughtful of him to seek more insight from a woman on women’s issues? And from a wife, who will tell it like it is! Every politician takes advice on all manner of issues from a range of people. Even geniuses get a hint of a new idea from another.
So bring it on, and lift up examples we need in Australia today, examples of this fundamental social love-covenant with all its faithfulness and trustworthiness. Far more important than suits, glasses or even weight loss.
