Swagger Wagons, 9/11 Politics, and Fake Godliness

Denny Burk on “swagger wagons” is worth looking into.  The video he links to will rock your world, particularly when the dad puts on a feather boa and clears his daughter’s tea table.  Nice spoof on the strange and singular genre of rap videos (and strange and singular genre of minivans).

**********

Roughly nine years after 9/11, the construction on future towers continues.  The politics of the project are engrossing.  Every millimeter of space is important in NYC.

**********

Addressing recent comments made by UK Politican Gordon Brown (he called a woman “bigoted” after politely finishing a conversation with her), David Murray offers some great thoughts on authentic leadership and genuine character at the TGC Blog.  This is a great test of whether we have genuinely strong character or not, it seems; are we polite and even friendly to people in conversation only to turn around when we leave them and cut them down?

Sadly, I’ve found this to be somewhat common among leaders.  How wicked that we would fake niceness–often for gain–and cut others down when they’ve left.  That’s a deadly trap, one that will be difficult to spot and address on our own.  We’re all sinful and fail in many regards.  I’m reminded by this anecdote of the need to truly love people, not to love them only for what they give me.  That’s not true godliness; it’s fake.