Shocking

I just read a headline from CNN that says they are 'shocked' to find that less than half of Americans think our president should serve a second term. I don't want to get into the politics of it here and now, but I did find it interesting that CNN would have an opinion. Aren't news agencies supposed to be neutral? One of them says that 'they report, you decide.' They ended up the target of the administration recently, with one of the nastiest attacks I have ever seen coming from the White House. Hmm - I wonder if it cost them or benefited them in the long run? Either way, a news organization seems to give up the right to an opinion by virtue of their office.

I called the police to report a loud party once. Well, far more than once, but there was one time which I clearly remember: The office showed up and I really didn't want the people who were having the party to know that it had been me who called the cops on them, so I asked the officer: "you can hear the band, and see the drunken people staggering around in the street, right?"

He told me that he could take the report from me, but he could not report it as disturbing the peace, because "a police officer cannot have his peace disturbed." I have seen cops get riled same as anyone, but in the legal sense they are supposed to be immune by virtue of their office.

I have been in situations like that myself: as a parent, as a pastor, as a husband, as a friend, and even simply as a Christian: I have had to give up certain 'rights' by virtue of my 'office.'

So are there any 'rights' God is calling us to give up on a regular basis?