Nov
13
My President
Filed Under Devotional
I’ve always been a bit set off by the pouty response of some who say things like, “He’s not MY president.” This idea that if you disagree you can just secede until a better time is ridiculous, but it shouldn’t be surprising. There are few teaching a sense of loyalty to one’s country or even explaining the proper way to foment change. Young adults think you have to scream and yell and make a scene and, then, when your idea is shot down or your candidate loses, you cry fraud. There’s no room left to accept defeat as a good sport and fight another day.
God was very clear on how this should work (especially in a society like ours where we are not jailed for our faith or forced to commit sinful acts by the state):
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” 1 Peter 2:13-17
Are we to restrain from standing up for truth? No. Are we to give up fighting for righteousness when we have a setback? No. Are we to accept the laws of the land and follow them inasmuch as they do not conflict with God’s law? Absolutely. Are we to submit to the rulers of the lands we live in? Yes. God has placed these men according to His will. We are to display our Christ-likeness by submitting to the authority. If you rebel against this situation, you are rebelling against God.
So, if you are a citizen of the United States, he IS your president. You don’t have to agree with him, but you do have to submit to his authority. Of course, you are free to campaign for his opponents as much as you like.