One of the convictions closest to my core is that God is sovereign. As Paul said, he works out "all things according to the counsel of his will" (Eph. 1:11). This includes, as repeated three times in Daniel 4, the truth that God "rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will." The only conclusion I can draw is that both President Obama and President elect Trump are God's choice to hold that office, a conclusion affirmed by Paul in Rom. 13:1. As he goes on to say there, this truth must control my words and behavior relative to whomever is our President at any point in time, so that I must give revenue, respect, and honor.
When someone wins the Presidential election they take that office with a view of what our country should look like, what it should be and do. We shouldn't be shocked when they do everything they can to implement their vision through whatever means the office gives them. That's the way our country works.
I sure haven't agreed with many of President Obama's priorities or actions. I don't think they've been good for individuals, for families, or for our collective culture. His actions with regard to human life and the family have been especially troubling, but our status in the international community has also deteriorated, IMHO. Hey, I'd hoped that our first African American President would help us move toward better race relations, though that sure doesn't seem to have happened either.
That said, I give President Obama high marks in several areas. He's set a strong example of commitment to his wife and family. He clearly loves and values his wife and daughters. He has always acted with a dignity and gravitas consistent with the office, and has never embarrassed us on the public stage. He comes across as thoughtful, and while I often disagree with his positions I've never sensed that he hadn't done his homework or was making things up as he went along. He speaks so slowly that sometimes my ADD brain wants to shout, "SPIT IT OUT, MAN!", but he's articulate and clear spoken. I've never listened to one of his statements and wondered what in the world he meant.
All of that to say that President Obama did exactly what any of us should expect: pursue the agenda we all knew reflected his views. And as deeply as I may disagree with those views I am thankful our President for the last eight years is a man of character and dignity.
It's obviously too early to judge Trump's presidency, but his conduct during the campaign causes concern. A man married three times who has admitted to affairs while married (never mind his open mic remarks) mitigates the confidence I have in some of the positions he has taken on key issues. Jeremiah asked, "Can the leopard change his spots?" (Jer. 13:23). That is, will he be a very different President than he was a candidate? I can hope so, but in an important way it doesn't matter.
Our pastor is preaching through Acts and we're currently in the last few chapters. A few weeks ago his sermon took us to chapter 23 where, early in that section, Paul stands before a court made up of Jewish leaders - select Pharisees, Sadducees, and priests. The High Priest orders someone standing nearby to smack Paul on the mouth which brings a rebuke from Paul for ordering him to be struck in contradiction to the rules of the Mosaic Law. Paul's reprimand was harsh, and others standing there quickly shamed Paul for speaking disrespectfully to the High Priest.
Paul immediately apologized for his rebuke, explaining he didn't realize he was talking to the High Priest. This hearing, illegal according to the standards of the Law, had been called so quickly that the High Priest wasn't wearing his official robes, so Paul had no way of knowing who had ordered him struck.
No matter. Paul says his comments were out of line because, "it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people'" (Acts 23:5). This command, from Exodus 22:28 is, as evidenced by Paul's application of it, still in force.
So here's where I come down on this, regarding President Obama, Trump, or the town mayor:
Even when a public official (elected or appointed) acts wrongly - as the High Priest clearly did in this case - I must give them all the respect and honor they warrant because they have been placed in that position by my sovereign God. I must not speak evil of them; to do so is sin, plain and simple. It has nothing to do with what they have done or not done, it has to do with God's command to me, his child. In our open democracy I can, will, and have openly disagree(d) with their position and/or actions. But as hard as that line may be to identify I should never cross over into disrespect or personal attack. That's why I try to always append the title President when referring to the person. It's a sign of respect.
Will obedience in this matter be more or less challenging going forward than it has been over the last eight years? Won't that be interesting to watch play out! No matter how tough it gets I want to speak and act in a way that acknowledges God's sovereignty and is consistent with his commands regarding those in authority.
No comments:
Post a Comment