Another Conservative Misstep

Okay, I admit it. I am a conservative. I don't really like to get into politics on this blog, but when it comes to living out biblical principles in the political sphere, I am going to jump in. I think that conservatives have just taken another step in damaging the framework of our country. I might be a part of that. I'm not sure.

I am speaking about today's speech by President Obama to the youth of our nation. When news appeared that the president would be giving a live speech via the internet to our schools, the outlash was fierce and brutal. Concerns over indoctrination and socialism were rampant, with likely every school in our country receiving angry phone calls from parents. My wife, a public school teacher, was faced with this issue first hand and asked me for my advice on what to do. At the time, I was not sure. The transcript for the speech had not been released and she knew that if she showed it that day, she would likely receive alot of upset emails over it. So every teacher that wanted to show it then had to get parent forms signed, and another location had to be created for students that did not want to watch the speech. I know that the curriculum created to go with the speech was questionable, and that some celebrities created a video to go along with it, but those are optional and should be well read and viewed by school authorities.

Here is the problem. For my entire life I have noticed a steady decline in respect for the authorities that are in office in our country. There used to be a great respect for the President of the United States, especially among our children. These days, he has become nothing more than a political cartoon to most of us. I think we have moved away from the biblical perspective of government that we find in Romans 13: 1 - 7 (ESV) -

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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 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, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 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.

We, as Christians and as citizens, are to respect, honor, and be subject to our ruling authorities. Is it respectful when we maliciously attack everything that comes out of a president’s mouth? Are we honoring our authorities when we speak against even the good that he does? The answer is no. I have read the president’s speech, and it is a strong push for work ethic and personal responsibility for the students of our nation. This is something that desperately needs to be heard by our children. It is not political, or in any way training our children to be socialists. It is a good message. Do I agree with everything the president says or does? Absolutely not, but I believe that when the president does good, it should be applauded, not attacked. We create a political mess whenever we go on attack for everything a president does. From now on, will any conservative president be able to speak to our children without even worse backlash? No. We have ruined another opportunity for our government to connect with its people and have further destroyed the respect for the office of President of the United States. We should stop and learn a lesson from this, and realize that God has called us to a higher standard as citizens. We have the right to vote and to speak and should exercise those, but always in a way that is respectful and loving.

And show the speech to your children. It is a good lesson in a world that needs it.