LA Times columnist, Mark Z. Barabak shares an interesting story of Harry Reid, the former Senate majority leader from Nevada who died four years ago. During his tenure as senator, Reid had a poor relationship with Jon Ralston, Nevada’s most prominent and highly esteemed political journalist. The reason is obvious: he often wrote critical of Reid!  To show his displeasure to Ralston, Reid tried to get him fired from his job.  Here is the interesting part, though: Before his passing, Reid asked Ralston to write his biography.  This is what he said to Ralston, “You’re the only one who can do this book right.  I know I’m not going to like everything you write, but I want you to do the book.”  Reid died six months after, as a great man, indeed.

There are many ways to measure greatness; this is one of them, as beautifully shown by Harry Reid: comfortable in our own skin. Reid wanted people to know him as he was, an imperfect man who tried to do his best.  He could have asked somebody else who’s more in favor of him to write his biography, but he knew, had he done that, he would do himself and the public a disservice.  So, he went for this man, Jon Ralston, who he knew, would dissect his life critically and truthfully.  He knew that he would not be around to defend himself but it’s a minor price to pay.  He let people judge for themselves.

We often define secrets as things that we hide from others. Secrets are not only things that we hide from others, though. They are also things we hide from us. We do not want to see them, so we keep them inside.  But here is the problem: The more secrets we keep, the smaller we become.  And the more secrets we keep, the less freedom we enjoy.  Jesus says, “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).  We, who know the truth about Jesus, will be free from the judgment of God.  And we, who know the truth about us, will be free from the judgment of others. 

Pastor Paul