Last night I watched some highlights from the Presidential Debate.
I was shocked at the conduct of these two US leaders.
Perhaps two simple house rules may have changed things completely:
- Love your neighbour as yourself.
- Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
And these aren’t to remain as house rules…but guidance in how we conduct ourselves daily towards one another.
“If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” wrote the Apostle Paul.
People, we are talking governing a nation here. If the leaders act like this, how do you think the citizens will act?
Do we not see a ‘destroying of one another’ on so many levels?
It’s like we just can’t get this ‘being a nation thing’ right. Civilizations have come and civilizations go.
It’s kind of sad to see this is what we’ve come to. It is also not surprising.
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—”
2 Timothy 3:1-4
We don’t have to go far to see this. This world is under stress.
It becomes a comfort then, knowing a citizenship is available for us right now — beyond this world.
In the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ.
He, the eternal Lord and King, gave the best example of leadership possible in giving his life for his people. He came to this world to save it. Self sacrificing servant leadership. Quietly, opening not His mouth, he died for the sins of His people, in love for them and for His Father, and for His Father’s glory.
And He rose again. All this to conquer this dark world. While He ministered on earth, He had a message… ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’
Believing in Jesus Christ is the simple entry into His kingdom and gives way to a citizenship in heaven awaiting a new heaven and new earth.
I wonder if our leaders looked to Jesus right now, in time of turmoil, how that would change things.
Even to just start with the basics of loving your neighbor as yourself and being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry… would go a long way! In all of our lives!
While here on this earth, tumultuous as it is, let’s pray for our leaders and for the nations we live in. To calm down and treat each other with some level of respect, as fellow image bearers of God. And that they and we, look to Jesus for daily direction and in His power look towards living together on this earth in some form of harmony… as we wait for and look forward to the next.
And we best still carry His message, ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’
“Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away.” Mark 13:31
Jesus is on the move doing a restoring and redeeming work right here, right now, and will return. Are we in tune with Him and what he’s doing in this world or do we ignore him?
When He comes will He find us among the believers, expecting Him, or among those who ignored Him and remained in unbelief?
“So be on your guard; I’ve told you everything ahead of time.” Mark 13:23
Jesus: “Behold I’m coming soon.”
The Artisan Post 