Guv Speaks to God’s People
January 18th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst were guest speakers at a Texas Restoration Project gathering held on Monday night at the Renaissance Austin Hotel. The Texas Restoration Project, modeled after the Ohio Restoration Project, is an organization that encourages pastors and their flock to be engaged in the political process. The funders are unknown and organizers refused to let an Observer reporter into the event. (See our upcoming issue for more on the story.) Nevertheless, Ted Royer, one of Perry’s spokesmen, e-mailed us a copy of the governor’s speech today. The following is the transcript:
Restoration Project
Thank you. I am so honored to be with you on the eve of an historic inauguration ceremony, none of which would have been possible if I did not have by my side someone who reassures me, inspires me and believes in me, the First Lady of Texas, Anita Perry.
I want to be very clear about something: tomorrow I will take an oath of office, and then later that day there will be a big party. But I know tomorrow’s events are not about me: it is about the democratic process, and it is about the will of the people.
I want to be clear about something else: when I do take that oath, and utter the words “so help me God”, I will do so not because it is a tradition, but because I humbly submit to you I cannot perform this job any other way.
There is much government can do to provide opportunity and build a Texas of limitless possibilities.
We can lift up those in poverty, providing better access to healthcare, a quality education for their children, and transitional benefits that help the poor help themselves.
We can remove children from situations of abuse, fund initiatives aimed at helping the elderly and disabled, and protect the most vulnerable among us: unborn children.
And we can invest in jobs, create an environment conducive to economic opportunity, and do everything possible to make our communities safer and our people free.
And yet, there remains a limit to what government can accomplish. Government can dispense money but it can’t dispense hope. It can protect the vulnerable but it can’t replace the family.
And it can build a bridge to opportunity, but it can never provide fulfillment. There is a God-shaped void in each soul and government can’t fill it with grants and society can’t fill it with temporal goods, only God can fill it with His goodness.
But it is good to know His grace is sufficient, because I am going to make mistakes. Fortunately, God’s Providence is not dependent on any one person’s actions.
And while I won’t promise perfection, I will promise this: that I will seek His wisdom and His guidance, and that my administration will welcome with open arms men and women of faith who want to change their society for the better.
The public debate should not be devoid of people of faith. And people of faith should not shy away from making their voices heard in the public square.
Tomorrow, you will hear me speak about what is on my heart, and much of it is inspired by my faith. I will talk about three great American ideals: freedom, equality and selflessness.
In regard to the notion of selflessness, I think about past generations that sacrificed so much during times of war to build this nation.
They knew as precious as their individual lives were, that there was something greater to live for, and ideas worth dying for.
Our culture today teaches different values. It tells us to “look out for number one”, “if it feels good do it”, and in so doing it sends a message that self-indulgence is a virtue to be valued greater than self-sacrifice.
But self-indulgence is no virtue at all. And we are paying the price in the form of teen pregnancies, drug addiction, and broken families.
The demise of the family is the demise of any great society. If our children are not taught to respect other people, and to love their neighbor as their self, then they will lead empty lives based on self instead of sacrifice.
If our children are missing positive role models at home, if they are raised by the television and the Internet, if their education is on the street, they will lack the love, guidance and nurturing so critical to living lives of purpose.
Family is the fabric of society. And it must be at the center of public policy.
No one more clearly called people to live lives of selflessness than Jesus Christ. He said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”
To me that is not merely a one-time decision made at the time of conversion, it is a daily decision we must all make in submission to His authority.
As someone once said, “as a believer, it is not ultimate victory I am worried about, but daily victory.” But where we are weak, He is strong, is He not? When we begin to sink, He puts out His hand. And while we stumble, He never changes.
Together we can rebuild the culture so that more people value, treasure and choose life.
Together we can rebuild the culture by strengthening families and sending the right messages to our children.
Together we can rebuild the culture and teach our children about the dangers of addiction and the importance of self-discipline.
And together, we can force change so no child is sentenced to a lifetime of mediocrity because their local school won’t educate them.
Don’t count me among those who want to defend the status quo in education. Children stuck in failing schools deserve a ticket out through school choice. When you give parents a choice, you give children a chance.
All of us must take a stand in the public square for those who cannot stand for themselves. We must be a voice for children left in the shadows of opportunity, a voice that cries out that “school choice brings about real change.”
Your role is essential. You speak not only to the basic social needs of our people, but to the concerns of the soul. And you can marshal an army of soldiers who want to live out their faith in the midst of brokenness in the community.
You have the ability to stand in the gap for the least among us, giving hope to the hopeless and comfort to the downtrodden. And you can do more than provide food, clothing and shelter, you can provide eternal sustenance.
I desire to partner with you in building a Texas of unlimited possibility. Through the power of example we can show what it means to live together and love one another. May we succeed and prosper for the glory of God.
January 24th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Nice Post.
That was well said. Always appreciate your indepth views. Keep up the great work!
John