Lincoln: A man of Conviction

I just walked out of the fantastic movie titled, Lincoln.
I'll save you the suspicion and just tell you that not only was the movie great, I slowly walked out of the theater mumbling that "he" was great...and I don't mean Daniel Day Lewis' stellar performance. 
I mean the 16th President of these United States of America.

Watching Lincoln shifted my mind to his stark resemblance of the biblical Moses.

Steady, earnest, full of resolve, witty, long-suffering. Full of the moral conviction that made you feel honored just to stand in the same room as him. Ready to die, and ready to live for the man. He was truly remarkable.

As the movie comes to a climax, we find ourselves right in the middle of the famous vote for the 13th Amendment. Below are the results:

The House passed the bill in January 1865 with a vote of 119-56-8.

We can conclude from the number above that 119 men voted for the 13th Amendment.
56 men voted against it.
That leaves the 8 as a mystery (that is, unless you are a history buff or just walked out of the movie, like I just did).

The 8 stood for abstentions. And if you are like me, you had to look that word up:
Abstentions, Noun:
1.An instance of declining to vote for or against a proposal or motion.

2.The fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something; abstinence.

Don't miss this.
Eight men stood idly by, choosing not to vote.  These men now live infamously in our history as cowards.  Unlike the rest of the voters, whether you liked what they stood for or not, at least stood for something.  "Cowards", Julius Caesar said, "die many times before their actual deaths" and  Abraham Lincoln has been quoted to say, "To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men"  

--Honestly, I had to sit and ponder my existance a little after the movie ended.
All great works of art should have this affect on a person by the way.
I had to ask myself if I would have been the type of man that would sit by, display no courage, and when the time came to vote .... Do nothing.
Not a yes.
Not a no.
Just letting my responsibility evaporate like the fog on an Autumn eve.
I can only pray that God gives me the strength to pass the tests He sends my way.

I just walked out of the fantastic movie titled, Lincoln.
It was about a man with superior moral conviction.
It was about a courageous man that let his life count, unlike those 8 men defined by their cowardice that chose not to vote on the 13 Amendment.

A Prayer:

Lord, I admit that when times are easy, I am full of vigor and ready to stand for righteous means. But oftentimes, when the spotlight is turned off of me or when the cost is high, I shrink away.  Simultaneously forgive me and enthrone me with your strength I pray. Amen.