Lent- Day 4: Every breath you take.
H/T: My brother Joe
I use to watch Brian Williams most nights on NBC’s Nightly News. I had started watching the program as a kid when Tom Brokaw was at the helm (I know, I was such a wild one). When Williams took over, I just kept on watching. He seemed to be cut from that some mold as Brokaw, and was like one of the last of a dying breed of news anchors. The days of Jennings, Wallace and Cronkite were over, and most people in my generation either skimmed through online sites for their news or tuned into The Daily Show. I did too, but I still liked clicking on the TV after work and having the nation’s top stories told to me (relatively) straight with no chaser (but with too many commercial breaks).
Then I had Zoe and my health spiraled and I left my job. I thought I would’ve begun watching more TV, but instead I quickly became disgusted by it. I mean I do watch more but almost only via the internet. For instance, I’ve only watched live TV once this year during the Super Bowl.
So it had been a long time since I’d caught Williams on the news (I did see him on “30 Rock” and Slow Jam the News on Fallon), but I still felt a real shock and a whole lot of disappointment when I read about his “mis-remembering” his helicopter being shot down while he was on assignment in Iraq over a decade ago. The story just kept getting worse as accusations were raised about his coverage of Hurricane Katrina. He was suspended without pay for six months, but his future longterm is anyone’s guess.
Just two days ago, liberal site Mother Jones lodged similar accusations of deceptive statements against Fox News powerhouse Bill O’Reilly. O’Reilly promptly struck back on his show last night.
Lies, fibs, blurry memories, forgotten coversations… it’s darn near impossible to keep everything straight. Big and small, I know I’ve told a few whoopers. Sometimes, it was completely accidental. I honestly thought I heard one thing, only to learn I had missed big pieces of what was said. My intent wasn’t malicious, but I was still dead wrong. Scripture tells us repeatedly, though, God sees (and hears) all, without any “mis-remembering”:
“The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” -Proverbs 15:3
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” -Hebrews 4:13
“For he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.” -Job 28:24
“My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.” Jeremiah 16:17
Reflection for the day: If I were watching a replay of my life, would I be proud of the things I’ve said and done? More importantly, have my actions reflected God’s will for my life?