If you have ever woke up from a bad dream to discover that this really is a beautiful world, you will truly appreciate what I want to share with you today. Unless you have been in a cave somewhere, you know the past four years of our nation’s history has been a nightmare, but in the past national election the American people have made it clear that we want to go in a different direction. Only time will tell, but I am praying that the changes we make will include becoming a Christian nation again, like it was when our forefathers came here from our mother country.  

To be sure, as a free nation, unless you have been incarcerated for committing a crime, you cannot tell people what to think or what to believe, and that will never be my mission or purpose here. To be sure, there are millions of our citizens who think and believe as I do, but there are millions of others who do not. Really all we can do is be a good role model and encourage them to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and let them see Jesus in us. I have tried it both ways, and I can promise you the best way to live is by living the Christian lifestyle.  Back when I worked for the late Earl Nightingale in the 1970’s he used to say, “There is a better way to do everything and there is a better way to live.”

He also said, “We may defy the laws of man for a while but there are greater laws that can never be broken.” You know, there are thousands of laws on the books in our federal and all 50 state governments, but we would not need all these laws if we just obeyed the Ten Commandments. By way of review, here they are. 1. You shall have no other Gods before me. 2. You shall make no idols. 3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 4. Keep the Sabbath day holy. 5. Honor your father and your mother. 6. You shall not murder. 7. You shall not commit adultery. 8. You shall not steal. 9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 10. You shall not covet. 

Here is how living the Christian lifestyle is the best thing to ever come along. When you are a born-again believer, you would never take a loaded gun and shoot someone in the back, or murder someone on the subway. You would love your neighbor as yourself, and always look for ways to help and serve other people. I can tell you that from more than 50 years of working in the private sector and achieving far more than I ever dreamed possible, I consider the founding of an all-volunteer literacy project called the Conway Bookcase Project, where I did not earn a penny, to be the greatest achievement of my lifetime. It truly is “A New Day in America.” 

My final appeal is twofold: First, if you are not a Christian, consider becoming one, as it is, without a doubt, the best way to live, and secondly, if you are a Christian, serve on the front lines.

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(Jim Davidson is an author, syndicated columnist, and Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. Since its inception in the Log Cabin Democrat in 1995, Jim’s column has been self-syndicated in over 375 newspapers in 35 states. (For a personalized copy of “Keep Your Fork” send $25 (includes P&H & TAX) to Jim Davidson, 2 Bentley Dr. Conway, AR 72034)