Indeed, the greatest need of all is to pray for our civil authorities and the government, for chiefly through them does God provide us our daily bread and all the comforts of this life. Although we have received from God all good things in abundance, we cannot retain any of them or enjoy them in security or happiness unless he gives us a stable, peaceful government. For where dissension, strife, and war prevail, there our daily bread is taken away, or at least reduced.
It would therefore be fitting if the coat-of-arms of every upright prince were emblazoned with a loaf of bread instead of a lion or a wreath of rue, or if a loaf of bread were stamped on coins, to remind both princes and subjects that through the office of the princes we enjoy protection and peace and that without them we could not have the steady blessing of daily bread.
-Martin Luther, from the Large Catechism
Is it me or is this year’s primary season full of weird sound-bites and angry talk aimed at other candidates and groups of people? If it’s just me—then stop reading now. Maybe I am turning into a “cranky old man.” My wife’s been warning me that it is going happen. Maybe it happened one night in my sleep.
If you are still reading then maybe you are feeling the same way. This isn’t about the issues. This is about the incivility of presidential politics. I am not inclined to vote for a person who is the loudest, angriest, meanest and most divisive. I would not want to have someone like that in my own house let alone leading our country. Even more disturbing is that all but one candidate identifies as Christian. That’s a lot of angry and mean talk among Christians.
As Christians, do we give exclusions for conduct if you run for higher office? Not the last time I checked. Would you want your children, spouse or even your pastor to act like that? (Please don’t say yes.) It seems to me we give a “pass” to all who run for elected office when it comes to campaign season. We take on this Darwinian mindset of only the strongest survive and we are ok with that.
Once again this is not about the issues. This is about how we treat one another. If we condone this type of behavior for those running for governor, senator and President, then, we too, are condoning it for ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, nobody is perfect and I don’t expect that in myself or anyone else. For me, how we treat each other is important. If our candidates are not respectful of each other how we can we even expect them to be a leader that truly represents all people within their constituency?
Martin Luther reminds us in the quote above that we should pray for our leaders and our government. Without a stable government- abundance, security and happiness are diminished if not completely “taken away.” I guess I agree with Pastor Luther on this. I need to pray more for our possible presidents and our current government.
Jesus says, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:16-21
God bless you in this time of discernment,
Pr. Ben