A comment by Lance Armstrong, on politics, stood out to me. Reading the morning news, I stumbled upon a USAToday article about Retirement 2.0. They asked Lance about his political ambitions. Below is the quote:
… A second career in politics someday does not seem out of the question.
“I don’t think so. I get asked that question a lot. It’s a job. It’s probably many times a thankless job. … If I were to run for any kind of office, it’s impossible or very difficult to run right down the middle,” he said.
“I would have to immediately alienate half of our constituents: ‘Wait a minute, we thought this guy was a Republican. Wait a minute, we thought he was a Democrat.’ I think the effect there would be a negative effect for the foundation. For now, absolutely not on my radar.”
Lance’s response is great in many respects and something we can learn from.
- Demonstration of respect for politics and their job.
- Communication of the nature and reality of politics.
- Clarification on what is most important.
I believe people should be well-educated and informed about politics. I also believe people engage actively in politics. At the same time we must show discernment about what takes the public stage in our lives. Ponder this question:
Is there something so important in your life that other needed and important things take a back seat?
The bottom line:
I think there is something we can learn from Lance’s response. I love politics and keeping up on current events. But, for me, a person’s soul is more important. Increasingly I’ve backed away from politics, save a couple of close friends. Privately I am engaged, publicly the missions of the church is #1.
Retirement article from USAToday:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/2011-02-16-armstrong-retirement_N.htm
T.Woznek 