Steven
Spielberg's popular new movie, Lincoln,
is based on the historical work Team Of
Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. In that book, Goodwin tells of the
thousands of appeals for pardons Lincoln receive involving soldiers facing
military discipline.
Typically,
an appeal came with supporting letters written by influential people. However,
Goodwin relates a story of one soldier who sent in an appeal on a single sheet
of paper without any supporting documents.
Lincoln
exclaimed, “What! Has this man no friends?”
“No
sir, not one,” said the adjutant.
“Then,”
said Lincoln, “I will be his friend.” And Lincoln pardoned him.
Without
knowing the soldier, Lincoln offered him greater friendship than any other
person. Friendship is a commitment, not a feeling.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their
toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is
alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie
together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man
might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord
is not quickly broken (Ecc. 4:9-12.)
