Are you like me? It only takes about 2 minutes of news about our government and my head is spinning from one thing after another: illegal immigration, the debt clock, uncontrolled spending, national healthcare, Fannie & Freddie, trying the terrorists in New York, who will we cap and trade next, Afghanistan & Iraq, the oil spill, closing Gitmo, who will define what a marriage is, Russian spies, I hope Iran does not get mad at us, I wonder what will be stimulated next, should we continue to help the Jews dodge those Hamas rockets, the 2300 page financial reform bill, who we gonna bail out next, how dare those Arizonians, on and on… Are we stuck in the muck? How did we acquire this massive quagmire?
You probably can add some more to the list and perhaps come up with catchy little rhymes that are better than mine. But how do you sift through all of this stuff and make any sense of it – much less try to come up with solutions. As a student and teacher of history, I endeavor to arm myself with facts and information from the founding of our government to the present. I desire to be able to talk intelligently about current issues and be able to defend my point of view. Honestly, it is an almost impossible task – with so many things that are at issue. Remember too that all we really know is what we have been told to some degree. Whatever the bill, whatever the legislation as it is written – some judge may rule against it, it may be stalled in committee, the President may or may not sign it, and perhaps it can be voted on again after they pass the bill the first time so they can see what is in it. Is your head spinning yet?
As I spent some time considering all of this, the simplicity of Biblical principles helped bring a lot of clarity quickly. The scriptures that have been so much a part of my history classes: Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34). When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn (Proverbs 29:2).
Perhaps bringing these verses a little closer to home will help us realize how true they are: Righteousness will exalt your company, but sin will bring it to ruin. Righteousness will exalt your home, but sin will destroy its testimony. Righteousness will exalt you, but sin will be your disgrace.
Think about your company with a group of people who demonstrate honesty and integrity. They are loyal and they esteem others more highly than themselves. Now the boss is very comfortable letting these people use their talents and ambitions to produce for that company. Consider now the reverse: You have people with talent and ambition (they are smart!) but have no honesty or integrity. They are loyal only to themselves and esteem themselves higher than anyone else. With this scenario you will likely need a good lawyer. On the other side, choose which type of leader you would prefer.
Whether it is the nation or us as individuals, you know that all you need to do is sow a little sin into the mix and brace for trouble. Now I am not saying that standing for righteousness will always be the easiest thing to work out. I and certainly many of you have been in situations where the right thing to do is not as cut and dried as we would like it.
But first of all – does anybody care? Is anyone concerned about demonstrating any righteousness? If we will even take that first step, good results will be forthcoming. Perhaps we should not expect the world to jump on this bandwagon so quickly, but we should certainly expect it from Christians and the church. I personally would like to see more of it.
Yes we still should be able to talk intelligently and with common sense about our government and the situations that we face. Further, I believe if you begin comparing what is happening with the 2 scriptures mentioned above, you will indeed cut through the gobbledygook.
Remember to pray for our leaders each day. Below is an interesting quote from President James Garfield:
Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of the Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature….If the next centennial does not find us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.
