“And it came to pass afterward
that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s
skirt. And he said unto his men, “the Lord forbid that I should do
this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth my
hand is against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” (1
Samuel 24:5-6) If you know the story of Saul, then you know he was
favored, then lost all favor with the Lord. However, it did not
remove the anointing God placed on him. When David intended to harm
Saul, it was God who stopped him, and David honored God’s request…
Over the past couple of weeks, there
have been more than enough opportunities spread love or reveal
shortcomings of public figures – from the President to preachers,
no stone has been left unturned. Listening to the rants and raves of
the world is not shocking, that’s their job and they are quite good
at it. However, Christians have a greater responsibility and cannot
afford to conform to the world with their bashing of public figures.
Whether it’s the President or a famous preacher, each were set in
place by God and will have to deal with His consequences. Our jobs as
Christians is to “render to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s,
and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)
Christians should be law-abiding
citizens who respect and adhere to the government in honor of God. It
does not mean the law binds us, it means we live by faith, we don’t
bash the president or political parties for their decisions, we pray.
We especially don’t make a public spectacle of ourselves showing
the world we only extend love as long as it doesn’t include a
public figure. Whoever is sitting in the White House has been placed
there for an assignment and whether they are fulfilling their purpose
or abusing it, they will have to take it up with God. The
government’s shutdown more Christians in array than the people of
the world. It’s like for a moment we’ve forgotten the God we
serve has power and authority over all things including our
day-to-day resources. God will provide the resources for you to
withstand the government shutdown or any other decisions made by the
government. Our responsibility is to continue in the faith from when
we first believed in Christ and pray over the government officials
and ask for forgiveness for not extending grace. God has given
authority to governments and their positions; He has the ultimate
authority over all (Romans 13:1), including the preachers.
Like the President, preachers have been
set in place by God and will answer to Him if they are found guilty
of anything. Bashing preachers for their lifestyles or choices does
nothing for the Body of Christ, except create division. The enemy
even knows a house divided cannot stand. So, how do we address issues
within the church, if the head of the church seems to be out of
order? You seek God in prayer first. They have been placed in these
positions to lead, and while it seems they should live perfect lives;
they don’t. They are human just like the rest of us. They make
mistakes by saying or doing the wrongs things just like everyone
else. Becoming a preacher doesn’t make it easier to refrain from
sin or unpopular choices; it means they become a target for the
enemy, the public, and their own brothers and sisters in Christ. We
can cover them in prayer, speak to them about our concerns, or hope
they receive counsel they need to grow and teach according to God’s
will. If you are not in a position or don’t have access to speak to
a certain preacher, you should not speak badly regarding their
behavior – pray.
“Obey them that have the rule over
you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they
that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with
grief; for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).
No one is perfect, while it is not an
excuse; it is a reason why so many people make mistakes. If you have
ever had to lead, then you understand the difficulty in making the
right the decision for everyone all the time. Presidents and
preachers have been anointed for their positions, and so have you.
They have been given authority by God and will have to give an
account for those they helped and those they lead astray. God will
bless you for honoring those He’s set in position over you
regardless of their behavior. Instead of bashing them, cover your
leaders in prayer; it’s the best form of love you can extend. “
And above all things have fervent love among yourselves; for love
shall cover a multitude of sins” (1Peter 4:8).
Marquisha Harden is a Florida native seeking to encourage using her God given talents of listening, speaking, writing, and acting to lead others to Christ. She recently earned her Bachelor's degree in Criminal justice and welcomes the charge to learn to do right, seek justice, defend the oppressed, take up the cause for the fatherless, & plead for the case of the widow, as stated in Isaiah 1:17. She is eagerly learning to trust God in all things and welcomes the journey he has anointed her to take.
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