These are the leaders of my county’s government.
This is an argument that has its roots in city-county school merger. 24 years ago.
Really. The conversation has changed a little. But this is basically a 24 year old argument.
Who owns the school system? The city or the county?
A new administrative building is badly needed. Where will it be? The city or the county?
I love this city. And I love this county. Which means I want a strong school system and all the great things good schools can bring to a geographic region.
Seeing a video like this of our leaders trying to talk about our school system is almost too painful to watch.
[Mr. Sides wants prayer in all country meetings. I don’t agree with him praying at the meetings, but I can pray for him on this blog. Please God, help him lead!]
A generation has paid for this attitude with their spotty educations.
We’ve paid for it with our economy.
And now, when something big is at stake, they can’t talk to each other at all.
What is so fascinating to me here is that the scripture he uses is quite appropriate for the event. If Jim Sides had read it with some meaning and then let it sink in, it might have made a difference, even changed the course of history for this county.
It’s an awesome quote for what they are dealing with:
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
Really adhering to THAT could change the whole conversation and get everything resolved in one hour rather than extending a twenty-five year old argument indefinitely.
Bravo to Jim Sides for picking such great words.
Yet, he reads it like a little kid who’s been bad. Like somebody is making him do it and he’s just muttering a bunch of sounds as fast as he can. He’s actually reading it like he’s a guy who’s breaking the law (which he is).
So it has no power. Nobody is listening. He’s not even listening to himself.
Then he completely disregards the scripture he just read. He never looks at Dr. Miller one time while he’s talking. It looks like he’s not listening. And he doesn’t acknowledge or respond to anything he says. While Dr. Miller is talking, Mr. Sides is looking away and fiddling with his water. He fairly asserts that he’s the boss, not a partner.
That’s not “esteeming others.” Nor is it looking “also on the things of others.”
Dr. Miller does no better. He doesn’t look at Mr. Sides either and has a rather patronizing tone.
I say, pray at home and at church. Do the public’s business in public meetings.
But if you’re going to break the law and use scripture at your government meetings, at least pay attention to what you’re reading and put it to some use!
[Thanks to The Salisbury Post for posting this video.]