The Christian And The Politician (August 31, 2003)

Recently I saw the documentary Bowling for Columbine, where writer-director Michael Moore struggled to discover the reasons why we have so many murders in the U.S. It turns out (what a surprise!) it is because we are not liberal enough. Michael Moore hates all things conservative, and sees in every misfortune an opportunity to score political points and bash the Right. You may remember how he savaged President Bush during his acceptance speech at the Academy Awards.

Of course we see raw hatred go the other way too, as conservatives threw fits for years about the behavior of Bill Clinton. At my former church I confiscated a video somebody had planted in the foyer that claimed Vince Foster did not commit suicide - Clinton obviously had murdered him!

In the face of such hostility toward the powers that be I like to remind people that we've got it pretty good here. Last week I talked with a Haitian friend who told me about how badly his country is deteriorating under the hopelessly corrupt regime of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Aristide is no better than renowned thug Duvalier. Also last week, with the death of Idi Amin, we were reminded of that African reign of terror where hundreds of thousands of Ugandans were killed. And “time would fail me” to tell of Pinochet and Pol Pot and Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong Il.

Few nations (no nations?) in history have had better leaders than we. Thank God today for our leaders - both those on the left and those on the right. And pray for them. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

For a primer on how to pray for leaders it is hard to improve on what Tertullian wrote nearly 1800 years ago: "We pray for all the emperors, that God may grant them long life, a secure government, a prosperous family, vigorous troops, a faithful senate, an obedient people; that the whole world may be in peace; and that God may grant, both to Caesar and to every man, the accomplishments of their just desires." If Tertullian could pray so graciously for emperors hostile to Christ, how much more should we pray, with grateful hearts, for all our leaders - regardless of whether they share our political convictions.