At the 2013 National Prayer breakfast (YouTube), world renown neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson spoke up about our nation’s founding fathers’ emphasis on the importance of freedom of expression. In doing so he tells a humorous story about a rich man who loved to buy exquisite and exotic gifts for his mother on mother’s day. One year he came across a fascinating pair of singing, dancing and talking birds that sold for $5,000 each. So he bought the pair and had them sent to his mother. Some days later he called his mother and excitedly asked her how were the birds? She said, “Oh, they were tasty!” He cried out, “Mom, those were rare singing, dancing, talking birds! You weren’t supposed to have eaten them!” To which his mother replied, “Well, they should have said something!”

Dr. Carson makes the point that we need to speak up for what we believe while maintaining respect for the other person. Talk about things that matter, topics well beyond sports, entertainment, gossip, and the weather. We can’t afford, as a nation or as communities or as individuals, to live in a politically correct world where no one talks about important matters. We can’t afford to wear our own beliefs so perilously on our shoulders that any off comment will knock them off their perch. (If that is the case, how firm are those beliefs anyway?)

The comments echoed his 1997 Prayer Breakfast speech (C Span) where he encouraged us to remember the things that make our nation great…those things that make OTHERS around us great. When we look at things from the perspective of others we are able to have meaningful, respectful dialog. And he issues a challenge I think is appropriate for us to take on today:

Commit to one week of not saying anything bad about anyone else.

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Romans 12:9-11