Righteous But Imperfect

“RIGHTEOUS BUT IMPERFECT”
(tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy)

By Rev. Dr. Larry D. Coleman
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
　
2 Chronicles 25:1-2 reads as follows--

1: Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2: And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

Let us pray.

Earlier this week, we witnessed the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. “We,” folks my age and older, knew him as “Teddy.” He was the baby brother of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and of Attorney General Robert Kennedy, “Bobby.”

We watched the growth and maturation of Edward Kennedy. From a somewhat wild, impetuous, overshadowed and under-achieving scion of a rich and ambitious family, to a very wise and very principled and historic “Lion of the Senate.”

Many of us matured with him. Agonized with him. Triumphed with him. And, in the end, we suffered, courageously, with him through the brain cancer, which killed him, but which could not conquer him. Or his legacy.

“O Death where is your sting! O Grave where is your victory!" 1 Corinthians15:55

Sen. Kennedy was a righteous man. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962, 1 year ahead of the death of one brother, John, and 6 years before the death of another brother, Bobby, he served in the Senate over almost 50 years. http://kennedy.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Kennedy%20Accomplishments.pdf

Sen. Kennedy was also an imperfect man. This trait he shares with us all. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

As our scriptural text from 2 Chronicles 25:2 reflects, however, one can be imperfect and still do that which is right in the sight of God! Senator Kennedy was such a man!

Would that we were all so blessed! Hallelujah and Amen!