Daily Lesson for May 6, 2015

Today's daily lesson comes from Romans chapter 12 verses 1 through 3 and 7:

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval . . .  7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed."

One thing that can be said be said about our current political climate is that across the board we really need to be a lot more civil. 

We're already in the presidential election season and it's apparently open season on our current president and will soon be open season on all the candidates in the running for office -- Republican and Democrat. 

And it's not just presidents and presidential candidates who are under attack. Public servants from top to bottom today bear the most mean-spirited and malicious of attacks upon their name and character. From the POTUS to the local dog catcher, they all get villainized; it's a wonder anybody would run for anything. 

St. Paul comes today with the reminder to render unto Caesar the honor and respect due.  Public officials are servants not only of the public, but also of God and they ought to be treated as such. 

On policy we can disagree -- even vehemently; but we need to stop doing so venomously. Personal attacks, the impugning of character, defamation and demonization -- it's all legal here in the United States; but none of it's good. There is a more excellent way; and that is the way of speaking truth to power and about power, with speaking it with love and kindness and always with respect. 

We try that for the next year and a half and we may just end up being Christians after all . . .