Political Protest

I'm not sure if it has always been this way, but there sure seems to be a lot of political complaints. People seem to find things to complain about with their government. For the last four years, George W. Bush was the major target of criticism. Although the American people reelected him, they would continue to condemn his efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The media would take shot after shot on him in relentless fashion.

Have we entered ourselves into a trap? The newly elected president, Barack Obama, is sure to come under some fire at some point. It seems to be obvious, that though he claims Christianity as his faith, that his moral standards have sunk low and shifted left. He is either a puppet of the people, or has perverted his interpretation of scripture.

One of his recent moves has proven this. Obama is a supporter of abortion, and has proven so through his decision to overturn the Bush legislation for doctors to be able to refuse to do abortions because of believes, and by having government funding for abortions. This from a man so seems so cold in his faith, and has yet to share the change that the Lord Jesus has made in his life.

If you think you have figured out the trap that I'm talking about, you likely haven't. The trap isn't that the new president of the United States doesn't stand for Christian values, but rather the trap is that we take on the role of the accusers and critics. I so openly condemned the accusers in the past, I need to be careful that I don't become one myself.

As a Christian, what are we to do instead of criticizing and complaining? Pray and instead have our mouths filled with the love of Christ.

Imagine in the days of the early Roman Empire being a Christian. Open persecution. It was always "open season" on Christians. People like Saul of Tarsus going from house to house, breaking down doors and stealing Christians off to prison. Observe the Christian response to being driven from their homes in Acts 8:4, "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." Amazing. I think I would be complaining, telling people that would hear about how the government shouldn't be so cruel and its unfair. Instead of taking the low road, since they were scattered everywhere, they preached the word.

When Paul writes to Timothy, he is sure to tell Timothy that the government is included when he says to pray for, "all people." Why are we to pray for them? The verse finishes off by telling us, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." (1 Timothy 2:2) We can be thankful that although the governments aren't as they should be, we still live in a country where it isn't against the laws of the country to preach and share the name of Christ in public.

Instead of complaining to everyone, expending our energy on telling everyone about what a rotten job the government is doing, pray. I understand "pro-choice" isn't pro-choice since it's taking the like of an innocent child, and that what Obama has done is wrong, but let us always be thankful that we have a loving Saviour who will one day reign on earth and take His rightful place. He will destroy all His enemies, set up His kingdom, and reign forever and ever. He is the heir to the crown of earth, and is now moving the nations around like pawns in preparation for that coming day of the Millennial Reign, and the coming Kingdom of heaven to earth.

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. Zechariah 14:9