Anybody notice something different about Trump?

Art of Conservatism—Anybody notice something different about Trump?

August 21, 2017 (the day of the great hoax of the eclipse!)

I don't know if anyone else has, but there has been an almost-subtle change in Donald Trump since he has assumed the Office of President. Maybe others have noticed, but I think not many. But though subtle, I consider it to be profound---the change in the expounding of his faith.

During the Presidential primaries and campaign, Trump almost never mentioned anything about his belief in either God or Jesus Christ. I'm suspecting that, at that time, his relationship with God didn't mean much to him. After all, being a self-made man, why would he? Self-made men tend to own huge egos. No surprise there, but upon taking the oath of office, the weight of the world almost literally came up on him. It had to. Even if I weren't a person of faith, such a weighty responsibility would certainly drive me to my knees. I sense that this is also exactly what happened with Donald Trump.

When victory by Trump was confirmed way late on election night, my very first thought was from the Psalms, namely, “This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” My view remains unchanged in the months since. As a matter of fact, I am going to pass along one of my sayings to bolster my belief: “The measure of any person can be seen in the type of friends he or she has, the number of enemies accumulated, and the quality of the questions he or she asks.” In Donald Trump, I've seen every one of those tests passed. He has asked the right questions at the right time. He has collected around him the best minds he could find to go about the running of this country in the right way. And, as we now have all witnessed, he has accumulated exactly the kind of enemies that shows all people who trust in God that he is worthy of the respect that he will never get from them. That these enemies are being incredibly active in trying to destroy him is even more proof that he is worthy of that respect.

I share a kind of kindred spirit of faith with Donald Trump, in that both of us have one foot in the Episcopal Church, and the other in the Presbyterian Church (which wants so much to distance itself from him---to their detriment). He started out as a Presbyterian but his marriage to Melania was in a beautiful Episcopal Church in Florida. I grew up an Episcopalian, and still church there, but I was married in, and also attend, my wife's home Presbyterian Parish in Chicago. So, yes, I find that factoid indeed comforting, but I find even more comforting that, now that he is President, Donald Trump is taking his faith far more seriously.than I have to. After all, look at how dirty his enemies are fighting that war which is called politics.

One more point: I cannot help but note a parallel here, between Donald Trump, and David as King of Israel. David started out as unassuming, from humble background, when he was chosen by God to fight in the Army of Israel against the Philistines, and kill Goliath. Both were chosen in unlikely ways to be the leaders of their respective countries. And, most glaringly, both were human men with human foibles and sins, big time. David went on not only to be the greatest leaders of the one of the great countries of the world, but fathered a son who was even better at it. While Donald Trump hasn't quite done that last item yet, if he's allowed to, he may just become a world leader on a par with a Churchill or Lincoln. There, I said it. But, if God is on his side, and more importantly if Donald Trump will allow Him to be, I truly believe that God will do what it takes in world events to make that happen.

For Art of Conservatism, I'm Art Reis