Many Christians are unsupportive of the lifestyle and
language of President Donald Trump as am I. His lewd remarks and thoughtless
Tweets display character traits that no believer can admire. I have
written previously that despite his character flaws, President Trump has
been the best friend Christians have had in the White House since Ronald
Reagan. His administration has done much to reverse the anti-Christian bias
that his predecessor instituted. Trump’s selection of conservative judges at
all levels of the court will have positive consequences for years to come.
Even non-believers must admit that the economic situation is
vastly improved under Trump’s leadership. This makes sense, his being a consummate
businessman who, regardless of the progressives’ class hatred, has amassed a
personal fortune proving he knows how to make business succeed. His foreign
policy positions with respect to China, Iran and North Korea have also put
America back in the position of a superpower to be reckoned with rather than a
weakling to be ignored. I also believe his stance with Mexico and the border
are in America’s best interest in the long run. (See Pilgrim’s
Progression and Man the Lifeboats)
In spite of these empirically measurable benefits to the
common good, some Christians still resist the idea of supporting President
Trump, many to the point of refusing to vote for a second Trump term. This is
unfortunate because any selection from the contestants on the other side of the
aisle would be a worse choice in almost every way. Be assured that if
conservatives stay away from the polls or cast a protest vote for a
non-electable candidate, a Democrat will win the White House in 2020. The
coattail effect will likely shift the balance of power in the US Congress as
well. Thus ends America being made great again.
Enough about politics; what about the important matters? This
morning I was reading the account of King Saul’s death and soon-to-be-king
David’s reaction in 2 Samuel. The background is familiar to most of my readers,
but I will briefly fill it in. After King Saul directly disobeyed God with
regard to the Amalekites, Samuel informed him that the kingdom would be given
to another. The prophet then proceeded to anoint the shepherd boy, David, as his
successor. During the many years between his anointing and ascension to the throne,
David was mercilessly mistreated by Saul and hounded as a criminal worthy of
death.
In spite of Saul’s despicable behavior, David remained
honorable, refusing to take Saul’s life on two occasions when he could have
easily done so. Then when the report of Saul’s demise reaches David (via an
Amalekite, ironically), rather than rewarding the bearer of the news, he has
him executed for reportedly killing God’s anointed servant, Saul. David honored
God’s choice of king because of the honor due the position, not the man.
This is where I began to think of the situation with Donald
Trump. Christians don’t like him. His personal habits are not admirable for the
most part. Yet he is God’s “anointed” in a manner of speaking. Romans 13:1 says
that the powers that be are ordained by God. If you believe as I do that even
election results are within God’s sovereign control, then you have to admit
that Donald Trump has been placed in power in accordance with the ultimate
purpose of God, whatever that may be.
Later in Romans 13 (verse 7) Paul instructs believers to
give honor to whom honor is due. Remember that the “powers” Paul referred to
were the vicious, pagan Romans who persecuted Jews and Christians with social
restrictions, torture and death. By comparison, Trump is a “saint.” Not that
that matters, since honor is due him because he is President. In my case, I
intend to honor him by voting for a second term. I would ask my fellow-believers
to consider David’s relationship with King Saul and imitate his behavior. Plug
your nose if you must but honor the office by voting Trump another term. The
alternatives will be much more unpleasant in my opinion.
