During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln attended a church not far from the White House. The preacher, Dr. Gurley, allowed the president to sit in the pastor’s study with the door open to the chancel so he could listen to the sermon without having to interact with the crowd.
One evening as Lincoln headed back to the White House after the sermon, one of the President’s attendants asked, “What did you think of tonight’s sermon?”
“Well,” Lincoln responded, “it was biblical, relevant, well-structured and clearly presented.”
“So, it was a great sermon?”
“No,” Lincoln replied. “Tonight, it failed. It failed because the pastor did not challenge us or ask us to do something great.”
Lincoln felt that leaders, whether they be politicians, pastors, or the head of a family, had a moral obligation to challenge and inspire people to become a better version of themselves. He believed this started by setting a personal example, and challenging oneself first.
February 12 is Lincoln’s birthday; what could be a better time to set a personal and inspiring challenge to become a better version of ourselves?
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