Inaugural Thoughts

President Obama became President of the United States today. For two years now I have been impressed with the President's ability to inspire. His speech, after he took the oath of office, was no less inspiring than any of his best speeches. He referred to Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians in his speech as challenged America to step forward and put our childish ways behind us. Those childish ways include everything from racism to our greedy consumerism. Yes indeed! It is time to move on. As Christians we strive to build the Kingdom of God... a kingdom of love and peace that puts those childish ways behind us.

Rick Warren gave the invocation prayer near the beginning of the events. I was moved by his words which echoed the President's sentiments, even before President Obama spoke. It was a lengthy prayer... but one, I don't believe, that sought to draw attention to the pray-er. (Appropriate from the one who emphasizes in his books that life and faith are "not about you" but about discipleship.) He finished with the Lord's Prayer: Jesus' prayer. It's the prayer that says it all.

As someone who presides often at rituals and public events I appreciated the gaff that Chief Justice John Roberts made. He goofed when leading President Obama through the oath, causing an awkward moment. Maybe he should have had the words written down, though you would have thought he would have known them pretty well. It doesn't really matter much, but I do think it serves as a nice witness to our humanity. For as much as we would like to build up this earth shaking, watershed moment of first bi-racial President being sworn in by the great Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: in reality it is just two men who make mistakes and get nervous when billions of eyes are upon them.

If these "giants" can make mistakes... If these "giants" can pray from the heart... You can be yourself as you do your best for others and for God. Somehow, putting our childish ways behind us means being authentic in all of our relationships and actions.