Sen. John McCain’s (Ariz.) address before the Republican convention last night was both tough and touching.
His appeal appeared quite distinct from the fancy speechifying that we saw at the Democratic convention. In many respects it was a lament. He lamented the mistakes his own party had made when it came to power and betrayed the public’s trust.
It was an apology. He apologized for his own character defects, and showed through his own example how the struggles he faced in life taught him to overcome them. Along the way, he learned to become grateful for the challenges; he gained the wisdom to view setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow.
We learned from Sen. McCain that the way of the warrior has more to do with the choice of attitude than the choice of weapon. We learned that what characterizes a soldier’s bravery is not his willingness to die, but his choice of a cause worth dying for.
This choice, this fundamental choice we face when we are born into this world of struggle, comes from a deeper place. That struggle, we learned, comes from compassion; it comes from the nurturing and direction we receive as children from our parents. It is a choice that we make, not out of need, but out of love.
With a humility born of struggle, McCain was able to effectively communicate his love for this country. Only when a person has truly changed his heart will God change his circumstances. The same is true of our nation. We derive the confidence we need to fight for our ideals, to live up to our promises, and to reach our aspirations, from a heart that has been strengthened by compassion.
This lesson, given last night in front of the nation, was one we should heed, irrespective of whom we might ultimately vote for in November.
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