wisdom

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  If you were listening to Chuck Colson's nationally syndicated radio
  spot, "Break Point" yesterday, you heard him read a letter printed in
  the
  Arkansas Democrat-Gazette regarding President Clinton and our
  country's future.  This letter, which he termed "brilliant," was from a
  16-year-old boy from Arkansas by the name of Christopher Vincent.
 
  To the Editor:
 
  I am 16 years old.  Though I am not old enough to vote, I am writing
  this on behalf of my generation.
 
  The recent speech by the President and the reaction of our nation to
  it gives me reason to write this letter in hope that those who read it
  will be challenged to look closely at the condition of our nation.  In
  the President's speech he admitted to having a relationship with
  Monica Lewinsky that was "improper" and "wrong."  Then he said that
  it was time to move on.  Many people have said that the President's
  private affairs are his own business and people should not pry.
  Others have said that the President's private affairs do not affect
  the job he does. The President himself touched lightly upon the
  supposed injustice of prying into his personal life in his speech.
 
  Hugo Grotius once said that a man cannot govern a nation if he cannot
  govern a city, he cannot govern a city if he cannot govern a family,
  he cannot govern a family unless he can govern himself, and he cannot
  govern himself unless his passions are subject to Reason. The President
  is accountable to the people.  We must know whether he can control
  himself
  or not. If the President cannot control himself he certainly is not
  capable of governing a nation.  Yet we sit in our selfishness and
  refuse to look at the truth because it does not feel good.  We look at
  the nation and see a booming economy.  We look around and see
  prosperity and say, "Why should we mess this up?"  And yes, Mr.
  Clinton has helped with all these things.  But there are better things
  than financial security, and there are worse things than poverty.
  We give the control to a man who can make us feel good but cannot
  control himself.
 
  I would like to call your attention to a recent international affair
  where Pakistan and India were developing nuclear weapons. The
  President offered a deal to Pakistan saying that if they would stop
  developing nuclear weapons the United States would protect them in the
  case of an attack.  The Pakistani minister of foreign affairs said
  that he did not believe that the President Clinton would follow
  through on his promise. This was because he saw the character of our
  President and realized he could not be trusted.  This endangered the
  lives of the citizens of Pakistan and India, more than 900 million
  people.  Although war has not broken out, we must heed the warning:
  the character of the President effects the entire world.
 
  The American people have chosen to become selfish, and my
  generation--your children--are growing up seeing the highest authority
  in America, a man who cannot control himself. Why should I put others
  first when the President himself will not even put his duty to his
  wife or his nation before his sexual desires?
 
  I'm asking you, the generation that holds the voting power, to think
  of your children and the future of the world.  If we cannot trust our
  President to fulfill his marriage vows, can we trust him to do what he
  has promised us?  And if we cannot trust the man our parents elect,
  can we trust our parents?  You owe it to the world, you owe it to
  God, and you owe it to your children to consider this.