Broken People, Broken Systems

Political strife is not new. But even if we don’t agree with the policies and politicians of the day, we will always be subject to some form of governance here on earth. Your faith can definitely inform your political beliefs and the way you carry them out. But it’s dangerous to let a political or ideological group become your identity. This is because, in some way, every government structure is broken because broken people constructed them.

The ultimate solution for a broken humanity isn’t to find the right human leader. The solution, Paul wrote, is to pray that the God who has the ability to change hearts would change ours and that he would reign in the hearts of our leaders.

When Christ came to earth and ushered in a new humanity through His life, death, and resurrection, he brought with him a new way to live, a new kingdom with a new set of values flowing from the greatest power. This kingdom is not to be confused with any empire or government controlled by humans, even “virtuous” ones. This kingdom is governed by the Creator of all things, perfect in love, mercy, and justice.

As members of God’s kingdom, it might be easy to say, “Well, I’ll just ignore the actions and decisions of those in charge here on earth. All of this is fleeting, anyway.” But the truth is, our interactions with public policy are part of our responsibilities as believers. Jesus alluded to this balance when speaking with the religious leaders in Matthew 22:15–22.

This passage implies that Jesus stayed in line with governmental laws of the time—by paying taxes—while also staying true to his imago Dei identity. We can try to follow his example. If we are supposed to give to our earthly leaders what’s made in their image, like Caesar’s coin, then we’re also compelled to give God what’s made in his image—ourselves. It’s a dual reality we live in. And so we walk through our earthly situations guided by our eternal destiny.

When you pray for others, include a prayer for your local, state, and national leaders, asking God to grant them divine wisdom and strength of character.