Jeroboam Hangs in the Balance
Greetings in the Lord~
You know how sometimes, when we have one disaster come along and we think it is the biggest problem that we've ever had to deal with, but later on something else comes up that makes that earlier "disaster" pale by comparison? Yeah, we all can relate to that. Well, at the moment, some pretty big situations are hanging in a balance and decisions have to be made, albeit, behind closed doors, far from view (and input) of the common person. Yes, certain national leaders are milling over a potential scenario--would a "kinder, gentler North Korea" be in our best interest? A prettier face giving up more control and access and giving less headaches? Would it be enough to change the narrative of a stupid mistake made in a lab? Will others play along for the sake of harmony--political, economic and otherwise?
I'm the type of person that really enjoys competition, whether a board game, cards, sports, you name it. A good fast-paced, game of skill, strategy, hard-work and luck can keep me entertained for hours. And I tend to win more than lose, so that's fun, too. Maybe that's why I'm drawn to politics; it is competitive and strategic all mixed in one. And, like any game, there are rules to follow so as not to cheat. But that's where politics gets dirty--quite often morals and justice and integrity are not considered and agendas and actions are hidden from view and only loosely form a shadow of legality. Quite often it deserves the bad reputation that it gets from the lay person, and definitely, impact / influence, whether positive or negative, is very hard to discern until after you have the luxury of hindsight.
However, God sees all, and He loves justice and honesty and a pure heart. Even in the "game" of politics, He rewards those who seek His counsel and follow His edicts, and certainly, lying and all forms of corruption are sure ways to lose at this "game," even though many leaders do not act accordingly or believe it, ultimately. I recall one time being in the Philippines where I was asked, "Should we support our President?" The question was asked when I was the guest speaker in a public forum with many influential people present, people from the military, government, business and media industries. Being an outsider and completely ignorant of the volatile nature of Philippine politics, I simply gave the answer the Lord had already given me that morning--"You are to support your President because this President seeks the Lord's will in making decisions." After the place erupted in angry chaos and I ran out for safety, I learned a very valuable lesson there--godly leadership is not about perfect performance or religiosity or achieving harmony with others, but about seeking God's will for the nation. Truly humbling yourself before the Lord, inquiring of God's counselors, and studying His Word will give you success in decision-making, and keep you from joining hands with the wicked while they tread the slippery slope the Lord puts them on. Agreeing do to God's will includes making godly alliances.
So, why do I share all of these random story bits today and what is the word of the Lord? The word comes from Amos 7 and it talks about God decreeing the removal of King Jeroboam and of a spiritual re-calibration ("plumb line") of the northern kingdom. The discussion above give the reasons why one leader is removed or deposed and another may be raised up or promoted. Such a time hangs in the balance for a country, and other nations are considering its impact and their role. To that end, we cannot be so strategic and logical in our decision-making that we forget or neglect God's imperatives for why we would be called into leadership in the first place.
"That's the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone's duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
You know how sometimes, when we have one disaster come along and we think it is the biggest problem that we've ever had to deal with, but later on something else comes up that makes that earlier "disaster" pale by comparison? Yeah, we all can relate to that. Well, at the moment, some pretty big situations are hanging in a balance and decisions have to be made, albeit, behind closed doors, far from view (and input) of the common person. Yes, certain national leaders are milling over a potential scenario--would a "kinder, gentler North Korea" be in our best interest? A prettier face giving up more control and access and giving less headaches? Would it be enough to change the narrative of a stupid mistake made in a lab? Will others play along for the sake of harmony--political, economic and otherwise?
I'm the type of person that really enjoys competition, whether a board game, cards, sports, you name it. A good fast-paced, game of skill, strategy, hard-work and luck can keep me entertained for hours. And I tend to win more than lose, so that's fun, too. Maybe that's why I'm drawn to politics; it is competitive and strategic all mixed in one. And, like any game, there are rules to follow so as not to cheat. But that's where politics gets dirty--quite often morals and justice and integrity are not considered and agendas and actions are hidden from view and only loosely form a shadow of legality. Quite often it deserves the bad reputation that it gets from the lay person, and definitely, impact / influence, whether positive or negative, is very hard to discern until after you have the luxury of hindsight.
However, God sees all, and He loves justice and honesty and a pure heart. Even in the "game" of politics, He rewards those who seek His counsel and follow His edicts, and certainly, lying and all forms of corruption are sure ways to lose at this "game," even though many leaders do not act accordingly or believe it, ultimately. I recall one time being in the Philippines where I was asked, "Should we support our President?" The question was asked when I was the guest speaker in a public forum with many influential people present, people from the military, government, business and media industries. Being an outsider and completely ignorant of the volatile nature of Philippine politics, I simply gave the answer the Lord had already given me that morning--"You are to support your President because this President seeks the Lord's will in making decisions." After the place erupted in angry chaos and I ran out for safety, I learned a very valuable lesson there--godly leadership is not about perfect performance or religiosity or achieving harmony with others, but about seeking God's will for the nation. Truly humbling yourself before the Lord, inquiring of God's counselors, and studying His Word will give you success in decision-making, and keep you from joining hands with the wicked while they tread the slippery slope the Lord puts them on. Agreeing do to God's will includes making godly alliances.
So, why do I share all of these random story bits today and what is the word of the Lord? The word comes from Amos 7 and it talks about God decreeing the removal of King Jeroboam and of a spiritual re-calibration ("plumb line") of the northern kingdom. The discussion above give the reasons why one leader is removed or deposed and another may be raised up or promoted. Such a time hangs in the balance for a country, and other nations are considering its impact and their role. To that end, we cannot be so strategic and logical in our decision-making that we forget or neglect God's imperatives for why we would be called into leadership in the first place.
"That's the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone's duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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