Harder Than Anything...

On my Facebook page today was a post by a friend who had posted a message.  The writer of the message was talking about all of the bad-mouthing and trash-talking that goes on in politics today, with special reference to the President of the United States.  The writer’s point was that for the Christian, we are told to “Fear God; honor the king,” and pray for our leaders and those in authority.  Bad-mouthing and name calling is not part of the equation, in the writer’s view.

Of course, the post had commenters, some of whom were trying to worm out of the respect part of it by saying they should respect the office but not the man.  Others were struggling with coming up with any respect at all.

I seldom do, but couldn’t resist a comment myself.  I’ve repeated my comments below for you.  And before you look at it, I want you to know that I struggle with this respect and honor thing as much as you do.  I find it extremely difficult to love my neighbor as I love myself.  And I find it very difficult to understand how God can forgive some people, but I am “more worthy” of forgiveness than they (not true, by the way).

My comments reflect my view of God’s Word…not how I always deal with such things in my life.  I fall short of the Word of God…just like you.  But that doesn’t make the Word of God any less true or any less the standard.

Comments:  We respect the office (of President) because he's there by God's design. We respect the man because he's a human being and is "our neighbor" whom we are to love as we love ourselves.

We have to separate ourselves from the petty bickering. We have to stop cold the notion that we can harbor resentment, malice, and grudges against another human, whoever it is and whatever they believe or have done. We have to forgive as readily as Christ forgives us...immediately, completely, and assuredly.

To respect someone does NOT mean we agree with them, or even like them. But it IS part of loving them...as we love ourselves. To respect someone means that we honor that person as a creation of the Almighty God, and in need of (or having been saved by) the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.

There are no ifs, ands, or buts. There are no sidesteps. There are no alternate versions. Hard? Yeah. Harder than anything else we might do in our lifetimes. But if we're going to appeal to the blood of Jesus and the grace of God for ourselves, we've no choice.