Today's Devotional
February 26, 2008
Subject: If You Don't Like The King
Romans 13:1-3 "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same"
On my way home yesterday I was listening to talk radio. This particular call-in show was soliciting callers who thought that candidate Obama would lead us to "the promised land." One man called in and while he was an Obama supporter, he spent all of his time defaming and denigrating the current president, George Bush. He called him the Hitler of our time and said that he was the leading terrorist in the world, responsible for the 9/11 attacks and everything since then. You could tell that this man really didn't like President Bush at all. I don't know if this man was a Christian, but one thing for sure, he didn't understand what God was saying in the passage above.
The passage is not saying that we can't disagree with leadership. It's not even saying that we can't oppose leadership's ideas. What it "is" saying though is that we must be subject to our leaders, submit to their position as rulers. That would mean we must not insult their leadership as the caller did. Paul had this challenge if you remember when he once opposed a ruler and when he realized this man that he had a problem with was in fact the king, he had to change his attitude and the things that he was able to say.
If we don't like the king, we should do the same. As believers, we should show that we are able to disagree without insulting our leaders. I remember when former President Clinton was at the height of the Monica Lewinsky scandal and he went to a prayer breakfast. Dr James Dobson was speaking and everyone was wondering what he was going to say to the president. Dr Dobson thanked the President for being an example as he was seen taking his bible to church every Sunday. Many were amazed that he could find good in our president at that time.
Today if you don't like the king, remember that he or she is the king and insulting them only shows your disrespect for God not for them.
Carlen
