FROM THE GALLERY
We attended the inauguration of state officials this past week. The Capitol was beautiful in the bright sunshine of a very cold day in Topeka. Police, National Guard and bomb-sniffing dogs were seen in abundance around the grounds of the Capitol and thick-necked security people (their shirt size has to be a 20 at least) were surveying the crowd for signs of illicit activity. The most activity I saw from the people around me was a constant shifting of our feet to avoid frostbite. There were bands and choirs and lots of bundled-up rosy-cheeked people who were grateful for the sunshine and a respite from the perennial downtown Topeka wind. It was interesting to watch the swearing-in and see those elected and appointed officials raising their right hand to swear by God that they would uphold the Constitution of the State of Kansas and the United States Constitution and that they would fulfill the duties of their job.
I was reminded as I watched of the ancient covenant ceremonies that are the basis of �swearing� on the name of God or the Bible. In ancient times men made contracts or testaments by sacrificing an animal and walking between the cut pieces of flesh to signify that death would be required of the person who broke the contract. The right hand signifies power and swearing upon God is a solemn oath taken with a holy God. I wondered if those who entered into that covenantal swearing really realized the awesome significance of swearing by God, and, if they did what difference it makes to them. For some, whether they realize the ancient significance of that action or not, it is a very solemn moment, not to be taken lightly. I would love to assume that is the case for all; however, we know that times have changed and not all think of God as holy, sovereign, omniscient, immutable and omnipresent. Theirs is a god who grants wishes and who looks the other way when man decides to go his own way. I wonder if any of us really realize that God does not run a democracy, waiting for us to vote and tell Him what moral codes we will now follow. His standards and truths are unchangeable and nonnegotiable no matter what we think or what science / law / sociology / psychology tells us.
For my own part, this ceremony reminded me that we should not take oaths lightly, that the privilege of leadership is granted to few and the consequences of their faithfulness or unfaithfulness have consequences of a magnitude they cannot even imagine.