Genesis 43, Job 9, Mark and Romans 13

Romans 13 offers those of us who live in the Unite States some very timely commentary about governing authorities. Paul tells us to live in submission to the authorities that have been out over is...to show respect to the officials who are in charge. We just had a presidential election and it seems that a good many Christians have not spent much time pondering Paul's words here. There is all kinds of talk of secession...there is tons of complaining...anger...fear...none of which seems to reflect Paul's instructions in Romans chapter 13. Paul was writing to a people who had very little say in how their empire was run...the everyday people of Roman were expected to accept the decisions of their Emperors and Senators with no real hope of ever having their voices heard. The leaders of Rome were pagan idol worshippers or politically-spiritual atheists, yet Paul demanded that the Roman Christians honor those leaders because they were being used in God's plan. While it may be difficult to understand how God works out His will through power-hungry men and women who do not humble themselves before Him...our faith in God as the ruler and sustainer of all demands that we accept the leaders that have been put in authority over us. Here in the U.S. we actually get a say...we have it so much better than the Romans Christians did. We should be joyfully celebrating the freedoms we have and the opportunity we have to let our voices be heard...but when the election results are in...regardless of who has won...we must continue to joyfully honor God by submitting ourselves to the authorities that end up in power. And this isn't just an angry, complaining type of submission...a submission that mutters antagonistic words...this is a submission of respect and dignity. That's what Christians in the U.S. need to be modeling for the rest of this country and for the rest of this world. Submission. Humility. Honor. Respect. Love of neighbor. These are the things that should mark us as Christians. When we mutter and whine and live in fear, we do nothing by show what we are lacking in faith.