Washington, D.C. is a dark, consuming place where the gods of this world–gods of power and prestige–take center stage. The founders of our nation were constantly having a debate in those early colonial years around the centralizing of a federal government and the power that those decisions would bring. I don’t think they could have ever envisioned what we are seeing today inside the Capital Beltway.
We have a two-party system where members of Congress and staff are consuming generalized talking points. They continually throw these talking points, mixed with their own charged words, at each other on 24-hour news sources, social media and on the floor of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
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It is a world where these same members don’t even know each other’s thoughts on the issues, let alone their constituents. They fly into this epicenter of activity on a Monday and fly out after last votes on Thursday evenings.
This is the place where the federal bureaucrats sitting in every executive branch department–from the Department of Education to Homeland Security to the Treasury Department–actually run the show yet without hardly any oversight by busy legislators.
The media stirs up fear, worry, jealousy and lies while corporate interests and highly paid lobbyists work their relationships on the Hill to get what they want. It is a cesspool that tries to stop good, federal, public policy decisions from happening, while also subtly trying to destroy the people who work there.
Over the years my heart has been increasingly burdened for the people, and specifically for those serving in the federal government. These citizens work among systems that take on a life of their own. Many strong people have worked to reform and improve the lives of ordinary Americans from this hard and dysfunctional place. They have toiled, and then they have left.
There are Christians who have been called to D.C. who really walk with God, know His Word, and hear from His Spirit, even in the middle of politics and government. They are, however, few and far between. There should be many more.
Though many people claim the name of Christ and use their religious credentials to get elected, few actually walk with God in a way that can impact the heart next to them–let alone navigate themselves on national decisions. Government–whether on the federal, state, or local level–involves institutions, systems and bureaucracies, but understand this–government is ultimately people. Every day, people who go to work in those places do so to make sure our government works…or doesn’t work.
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan,” (Prov. 29:2). There is a direct correlation between a government that has righteous people in authority and the peace that the citizenry lives in.
Righteous men and women are those who carry the name of Christ and who are washed by the blood of the Lamb. Because of this identity, they exhibit a certain level of morality and a conscience that is quick to repent. Even those who are not Christians but operate with a moral compass are better than those in contrast who are controlled by wickedness, deception and lies.
When righteous people are in places of governing authority, we have more freedom. When righteous people are in the key decision-making rooms, there is discernment and clarity. But when the wicked rule we can literally feel it in our bodies, souls, and I would even say, in our spirits.
As people of faith, our goal is not to establish a theocracy, but to elect more people who walk with Jesus and put them in places of authority. If we do that, then everyone would experience more liberty and peace as these people of faith impact our cities, states and federal government with good policies. We need people with godly convictions to serve their communities, to try and make life better
for others through civil government. These simple servants are the ones who have the potential to impact thousands and millions of people’s lives.
To see real change in America, it will take people of faith answering the call into government and all places within our culture. It will take citizens who want to learn more, and interact more, with their elected officials as they start to take these steps of faith. We must find our faith and fortitude in the pages of the Bible and then let that internal life flow into these spheres of influence to see hearts change one at a time. We need revival and it starts with one person’s obedience–one step at a time.
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