Ep. 278 Interpreting the Political and Personal Life of Donald Trump

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Shows Main Idea – There are many sides to all of us. If any of us were under the scrutiny that President Donald Trump has been under the past four years, none of us would fair too well. There are things that we do exceptionally, and there are other areas that need improvement. In this episode, I share my opinion on a few vital metrics about Donald Trump.

Show Notes

You may want to read:

• Trump Is the Heat that Exposes What Was Previously Hidden
• I Went to a President Trump Rally Last Night
• Why People Are Missing the Point About President Trump

Fellow Image-Bearers

My desire here is to be impartial. None of us are perfect, and if someone analyzed any of our lives on a granular level, it would reveal inconsistencies, hypocrisies, weaknesses, along with all our more excellent traits. President Trump is no different from the rest of us. He’s a fallen man doing an impossible job.

I’m purposely steering away from the motive of the heart matters since I do not have that degree of insight about his most authentic intentions. Also, President Trump is one of the Lord’s creations. God made him in His image, which is my caution to be careful about how I talk about him. I apply this same rule to how I’ve talked about candidates that have policies different from mine, i.e., President Obama. (Smithsonian illustration)

There have been areas where he was surprisingly good at his job. Of course, there were other aspects that were not good. I’m going to speak to ten of those aspects, giving both positive and negative perspectives about President Trump. I trust these reflective thoughts will provoke you to examine your life, as well as your thoughts about President Trump and those who love or dislike him.

Pluses and Minuses

1 – Manners

• Plus: He is polite, kind, and considerate of others.
• Minus: He’s boorish, temperamental, petty, and crass.
• Assessment: Describe your good and bad manners, and how you can change.

2 – Racism

• Plus: There is no question that he is not a racist.
• Minus: His way of communicating does alienate some folks.
• Assessment: How do you talk about those who disagree with your political beliefs?

3 – Family Man

• Plus: Several eye-witnesses have talked about his love and leadership of his family.
• Minus: His personality has not been the best example for his family.
• Assessment: What is one way you can change so you’re modeling a clearer picture of Christ to your family?

4 – Marriage

• Plus: He appears to love and care for Melania.
• Minus: He was an adulterer and has had multiple marriages.
• Assessment: Have you successfully repented of your marriage failures?

5 – Love of Country

• Plus: On a gut level, President Trump does love America.
• Minus: His attitude toward some Americans contributed to the division in our country.
• Assessment: How does your affection for something alienate those who differ from you?

6 – Politics

• Plus: President Trump is a historical Democrat who ran the country as a conservative.
• Minus: In some cases, he was petty toward those who disagreed with him, which hindered what he could have accomplished.
• Assessment: Are you petty toward some people?

7 – Instincts

• Plus: His intuition about the media, as one example, was superb. He understood them.
• Minus: He was not a bridge-builder with the media.
• Assessment: Has God given you insight toward someone or a demographic. How have you built a relational bridge toward them?

8 – Courage

• Plus: President Trump has an amazing amount of courage to withstand more hate than any president in the history of our country.
• Minus: He mixed courage with taking shots at folks.
• Assessment: Have you used boldness as a guise to demean others?

9 – Legacy

• Plus: He has given the conservatives a new way to stand up against those who hate us and our country.
• Minus: His relational weaknesses could hinder the positiveness of what I hope his legacy will be.
• Assessment: What is one thing you want to extend beyond your days, and what are you doing to make it happen?

10 – Followers

• Plus: He has emboldened his followers not to be passive.
• Minus: His followers can take on some of his un-Christlike characteristics.
• Assessment: Are you a courageous and gentle person?

Call to Action

1. What is your opinion of President Donald Trump?
2. How has his presidency affected you?
3. What is one thing you want to emulate about him?
4. What is something you do not want to imitate, and what is your plan to change?
5. Does fear or faith guard your heart as you think about the state of our country? If fear is the predominant power that is managing you, what is your plan to change that?

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).