On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence offered a simple yet profound answer when quizzed about how he responds to critics.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Alliance Defending Freedom, Pence said: “No. 1 is spend more time on your knees than on the internet.” Obviously, the Vice President was alluding to the act of praying to God.
Unsurprisingly, however, his comments were immediately mocked on Twitter, with many chastising the VP for his choice of words.
The widespread response was, in essence, a damning indictment of our modern digital era — we simply cannot allow someone to say something civil without engaging in a response of mockery. Pence, through simply dishing out a piece of sound spiritual advice, had somehow invited the criticism and online trolling that he was addressing — how ironic!
Still, despite the depressing reality of social media’s relentless party-political smearing, Pence soldiered on with some great words. “As a Christian believer, we’re charged to pray for our loved ones but also pray for our enemies,” he said, according to The Hill, “you have lots of opportunities in politics to do that.”
Pence spoke candidly about the personal attacks his family has faced from those who would disagree with them.
Referencing the pushback his wife Karen received for teaching at a conservative Christian school, he noted that his family had to go through a long process of forgiving those who had so terribly misjudged them.
“Forgiveness is a great gift, and my wife and I literally try to work through forgiving people who might speak woefully against us or might mischaracterize who we are and what our family’s all about,” Pence said.
It is refreshing to see Pence take the high road in the face of the utterly relentless efforts to tarnish his reputation — indeed, civility, grace and faith will always win the day.