On page 320 of Kennedy & Nixon, Chris Matthews characterizes Richard Nixon’s response to his sweeping victory in the 1972 Presidential election as follows:
“Old campaign hand Herb Klein was not alone in registering [Nixon's]
strange hibernation as evidence his boss’s resentments had returned. It
was as if victory were not an occasion for reconciliation but an
opportunity to revisit old wounds. Instead of celebrating in the bright
light of fellowship, Nixon sat through the dark morning hours savoring
with operatives Haldeman and Ehrlichman the state-by-state salute of his
country that carried with it a decisive rebuke of his enemies.”
How one handles victory is as important as how one handles defeat.
According to Chris Matthews’ narration, Nixon handled his 1972 victory
by continuing his resentments against his enemies. Matthews narrates
that Elliott Richardson tried to show Nixon that there was no “they” out
to get Nixon, that Nixon won the 1972 election overwhelmingly and was
now President of all of the people in the United States. But Matthews
goes on to state, on page 326: “Not only was the Orthogonian Nixon
unlikely to accept the counsel of a Franklin, even one he employed, but
events would soon prove that there were any number of people out to get
Richard Nixon.”
Whether or not that is the whole story, I don’t know, but I can see
myself handling my victories and successes in a similar manner: as a way
to show my detractors that I am just as good as they are, as a way to
reinforce my resentments rather than an opportunity for me to be the
bigger person.
As I read Matthews’ narration here, I thought back to something I
heard a Bible study group leader say about a story in Luke 10. In Luke
10, Jesus sends out his disciples to preach the Gospel, to heal the
sick, and to cast out demons. When they return to Jesus, all excited
that the demons have submitted to them in the name of Jesus, Jesus tells
them not to rejoice that the demons submit to them, but rather to
rejoice that their names are written in the Book of Life. Jesus then
praises God for revealing God’s truths to little children rather than
the wise.
The group leader said that Jesus appeared to be spoiling the
disciples’ excitement: Why can’t Jesus just let them be happy, rather
than throwing a damp towel over their joy? But the leader concluded
from this story that we should pray in the heart of our success. It’s
easy for people to handle success badly. One could become arrogant, or
use success as a way to give one a sense of self-worth, or use it as an
opportunity to reinforce resentments. Praying in the heart of one’s
success can hopefully temper these tendencies. As people remind
themselves that there is one who is above them, and that they have worth
in his eyes, perhaps they will be less likely to idolize success, both
when they have it, and when they don’t. At least one would hope!