Ten years ago when Rick and I purchased the The Christian Citizen newspaper we had no idea where the journey would carry us. (If we had known we might not have taken that faith plunge)!

   The newspaper was already 14 years old at that point. So in the 24 year history of the The Christian Citizen it has seen good days, bad days, growing and shrinking days, conflict and blessing, prosperity and near poverty. Yet, through it all the Christian Citizen USA has possessed tenacity. Somehow, this newspaper is like the Energizer Bunny – it keeps going and going and going….

   We, of course, credit the wonderful times to God and the not so wonderful times to our own human inadequacies. We’ve learned to not lean on our own understanding but the wisdom of God. It is at the point where God’s grace intersects with our failures that we hope to learn and grow in our walk and in our work. When we invariably trip up, God faithfully picks us up, dusts us off and sets up back on the journey.

   I say all that to say this: we have been responsible for a few messes over the past few months. Late last summer we ran a front-page picture that accompanied a story about an amazing group of young Christians who took the message of marriage and life to the steps of the San Francisco City Hall where same sex marriages had been performed. Amid the pro-marriage signs was one little anarchist holding a sign with one very bad word on it. The word was so small in its digital format and on the proof sheets that no one saw it until too late. And even when the newspaper was in circulation very few people actually noticed it. We held our breath, breathed prayers to God and, after much anguish, thankfully moved on.

   However, we did not get by so unscathed last month. The cartoon on our Commentary page was provocative. It was about our new governor Ted Strickland. Gov. Strickland and his wife have a history of not living in the same location at the same time. Some of our readers thought the cartoon speculated on other personal lifestyle choices. Either way, we apologize for the cartoon. In hindsight, it was a low blow and as Christians we did not do a good job of showing the same grace that God has so faithfully showed us through our many mess-ups.

   Our Commentary page is set aside to express what we hope are opinions based on solid facts - opinions that are helpful, not hurtful. The news pages are just that, news. We work to keep a distinction. And we certainly do not want to come across as throwing out what we might believe is smart commentary when in reality is it just a smart aleck comment.

   On the other hand, we do reserve the right to call them as we see them. We received a letter from a reader about the cartoon in question. We greatly appreciate the letter, which is published on this page. However, the writer said “I do not think Christ would have put that cartoon in the paper if he was the editor.” Well, maybe not, but Jesus the Christ did not pull any punches when addressing those white washed sepulchers …those religious (and/or political) fellows who possessed the title but lived like the devil. (Matt. 23:27,28).

   In this post-modern, politically correct, highly sensitive culture, we might sometimes offend, but hopefully not too often, and not without a purpose. Christians sometimes have a tendency to, as Relient K puts it, “watch each other go down in flames.”

   Please forgive us and please send your comments.