LOYALTY

                  Monday’s post elicited a surprise for me:  the number of folks who thought I was being unnecessarily diminutive to the ones who thought I was squandering cultural equity by not telling the Texas client to go chill while I did the virtual town hall with Trump, Kennedy, and Gabbard.

                  This judgment shocked me.  Many years ago, maybe 20, I agreed to do a presentation at a small private school in Virginia as a favor to a good customer.  Before the event, I had a request from a big outfit willing to pay a fat honorarium to come speak to them.  I broke the school date and did the big one.  I tried to make it all okay by arranging a friend who is a great integrity food speaker, to go in my place.  But it wasn't right.

                  I knew it was wrong when I did it.  I knew my excuses were hollow.  The school properly felt jilted.  It bothered me for a long time.  I've never gotten over that betrayal, that lack of loyalty for the original commitment.  It wasn't right.  I knew it and they knew it.  And I purposed to never do it again.

                  Dear folks, we have a dearth of loyalty in today's world.  When Mother Earth News piled on allegations of racism and cancelled me back in 2020, these were long term close friends.  Teresa and I had entertained them in our home, housed them, fed them breakfast. 

We'd shared countless meals out on the road at fairs.  In the world's parlance, we were buds.  The rapid abandonment shocked me.

                  In complete juxtaposition to that, Chelsea Green Publishing held firm.  They stuck right with me through the brouhaha and have remained staunch friends and allies.  

                  Last week I agreed to do a gratis appearance and speech for a struggling group and then, a couple of days later, was asked by another outfit to keynote their conference at full honorarium and publicity.  I turned down the big group.  I had a previous commitment. 

                  Dear folks, we need people who honor their commitments.  The folks in Texas who contracted for my attention months ago deserve me to honor that obligation.  I tried to do the Tuesday town hall request by pre-recording, written statement--anything.  But in the vicissitudes of today's political access, none of my proffers were acceptable, so I was left with a choice.

                  Do I interrupt the hopes and expectations of a small outfit to be on a big stage, or do I go forward in faith believing that God honors those who honor commitments, regardless of notoriety and splash?  I've done it wrong in the past.  I'm not going to do it wrong again.  If God wants me to have a president's ear, He will work it out in a way that doesn't demean or disrespect my promises to a smaller outfit. 

                  To quote Dr. Bob Jones Sr., "it is never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do right."  I believe deeply that honor, integrity, and loyalty are more important than opportunity.  If today's opportunity doesn't fit what's soul-level right, then it's not today's opportunity.  It's today's temptation to sell out for "the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life."                  

                  Am I bummed that we couldn't work out an alternative?  By the way, I had to sign up for the whole 1.5 hours, not just the 3 minutes.  I tried everything to squeeze in without jeopardizing my previous obligations, but it wouldn't work.  So yes, I sent those comments (yesterday's blog) to the organizers and if God wants certain eyes to see it and appreciate it, great.  If not, that's fine.  But I can sleep tonight.  And tomorrow.  I hope this touches all of us with what integrity, loyalty, and honor really mean.  Thanks for hanging in there with me.

                  Have you ever sold out, or cut and run, and later regretted it?