Wednesday evening I had the privilege of accompanying my dad to hear Dr. Ben Carson speak at an event in downtown Indianapolis supporting Man in the Mirror ministries.  If you haven’t heard of Dr. Ben, you might remember the movie produced several years ago entitled “Gifted Hands.”  It detailed his life from poverty to becoming a world-famous pediatric neurosurgeon. He was the first to successfully perform the separation of Siamese twins conjoined at their heads. Before his speech, I actually had the chance to speak briefly with him and shake his hand. What an honor.

Dr. Ben Carson is a soft-spoken man with a powerful message. If I were to put his message into one word or phrase, it would be “self-responsibility.”  Really I should re-word this “personal responsibility” because the kind of responsible caring he proposes is not just for yourself but also for others. He encourages individuals to take ownership of their actions, focus on opportunities not roadblocks and not accept the role of a victim. He suggests that we all must take the responsibility to offer ladders to those who are downtrodden, helping them step out of poverty-not just physical poverty, but poverty of the mind and the spirit also.  He started out very poor himself but didn’t accept that he was going to stay there.  Education was his way out of the projects in Detroit.  But he had to choose to take that path.  If he had followed his peers, by his own admission, he would not have made it out.

Dr. Ben credits his mother for much of his success. She was always his encourager.  As a single mom, she worked 3 jobs to support he and his brother and did not accept being a victim herself. She wanted her boys to have the opportunity for a better life. She observed that those who accepted welfare never got off of it so she chose another way so they would not become dependant on hand outs.  She found creative ways to stretch her dollars as far as she could.  Reading was of utmost importance in their household. The boys had to read 2 books a week from the library and give her book reports in writing. Little did the boys know then but she didn’t even know how to read herself. Nevertheless, she instilled a love of books and learning in them that made all the difference.

As a boy of 8 years old, Ben decided he wanted to become a doctor but the road was not easy.  He was nearly derailed several times. His biggest hurdle was himself. As a teenager, he was plagued with an uncontrollable anger. It wasn’t until he nearly stabbed another person that he came to his senses.  He discovered the Proverbs in the Bible and started reading and absorbing their lessons. With prayer and the wisdom gained from this study, he was able to overcome his anger and avoid following the same destructive path as many other young black men that were his peers. His life is a testament to God’s power to change a life in a willing person. He has become a gifted neurosurgeon who has helped thousands of children in his career. He is a man after God’s own heart-a modern day David.

In his final words to the audience, Dr. Ben asked that the next time we sing the Star Spangled Banner, we ponder the last stanza.  We live in “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”  Many in past generations gave their lives to give us our freedom.  He challenged us all by asking, “What will WE do for future generations to ensure their freedom?”  To be free and to remain free, we must be brave as our forefathers were brave, willing to give our very lives to maintain this precious privilege called freedom.