Put Your Gloves On

Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, is one of my personal heroes. If some of you find that strange—well…so do I. I was three years old when he died, and can’t remember hearing or reading too much about him during my formative years. However, I have always been deeply interested in history, politics, and leadership. And so when one of my colleagues who shares those interests recommended that I read Robert Caro’s massive four part biographical masterpiece of Johnson, I plunged in.

It is unfortunate that those who do remember Johnson tend to only remember his disastrous policy of entangling our country in the Vietnam War.  However, he accomplished so much more. In this regard, he is a perfect example of the truism that Shakespeare puts on the lips of Mark Anthony in Julius Caesar when he says that the “evil that men do lives on after them. But the good is often interred with their bones.” Johnson did much good, much it forgotten-although most of us either directly or indirectly benefit from his legacy each and every day.

Most of the current government programs that assist millions of Americans—from Head Start, Job Corps, Peace Corps to Medicare, Medicaid, and Food Stamps—not to mention the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Voting Rights Act of 1965—were born from legislation that was initiated and implemented during President Johnson’s administration. It is for this reason that the most recent C-Span ranking of the most effective American Presidents listed Johnson second only behind Abraham Lincoln for using the powers of his office to help the most people.

My admiration of Johnson is such that I recently took a trip to Austin, Texas to visit the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, a massive ten story structure that sits on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. One of the highlights of that visit was a conversation that I listened to between President Johnson and former President Harry Truman. Johnson had phoned Truman to complain about some of the political backlash he was receiving after proposing one of his visionary initiatives. “I’m catching Hell every day from everywhere,” Johnson griped. “Well,” Truman, replied, “that’s a sign that you are doing right.” Listening to that conversation reminded me of one lesson and taught me another.

That conversation between Johnson and Truman reminded me of a lesson that I received from one of my ministerial mentors. He told me once that when you see counsel or need to complain, always go “up and out.” In other words, find someone who is above you (in terms of success, status or influence) and outside of your immediate context or crisis. Perception is enlarged and sharpened by distance. Truman served as President before Johnson, and thus had a keen understanding of the pressures and pitfalls of the position. Far too many of us seek counsel from people who can provide absolutely no value because they have never sat where we sit.

That conversation between Johnson and Truman not only reminded me of that lesson, but it also taught me another lesson. The other lesson that it taught me is that whenever you decide to do the right thing, you better put your gloves on—because you’re getting ready to catch hell! It is so easy to assume that doing the right thing is easy. But as Paul reminds us in Romans 7: 21, that is rarely the case.  Instead, Paul says that 

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Whenever we take any step toward the good, the true, or the righteous, we will be attacked by invisible and visible and internal and external opposition. I often joke that it seems that the Sunday you finally decide to attend church, it rains, you have a splitting headache, all your clothes are in the cleaners, there is traffic en route and when you finally arrive there is no parking.

But we should not allow the inevitable arrival of evil prevent or hinder us from pursuing what is good, true, or righteous. Yes, we have invisible enemies. But alas, we also have invisible allies. Psalm 34:7 says

The angel of the Lord encampeth around those that fear him, and he delivereth them.

Whenever we pursue the good, the true or the righteous, God shows up to protect us, energize us, enable us, and assist us. My Father used to say “If I’m right, he’ll fight my battles.”

Keep on fighting for what’s right-for you, for your family, for your finances, for your future, and for your faith.

No, it won’t be easy.

Yes, you are going to catch hell.

Put your gloves on.

And don’t be afraid. Help is on the way.