Caring for those the culture leaves behind In my quiet time last Friday, I was reading about leadership, authority, and government in Psalm 10. And God brought a member of CVC, Joe Price, who is campaigning for mayor of Broadview Heights, Ohio to mind.
In the Psalm, the poor and needy are not being cared for well. The wicked leaders are prospering at the expense of the poor. Where is God? Does He see it? What will He do? What is God’s heart when it comes to government?
But You do see, for You note mischief and vexation, that You may take it into your hands; to You the helpless commits himself; You have been the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.
Psalm 10:14-15 (ESV)
In the Psalm, the poor and needy are not being cared for well. The wicked leaders are prospering at the expense of the poor. Where is God? Does He see it? What will He do? What is God’s heart when it comes to government?
But You do see, for You note mischief and vexation, that You may take it into your hands; to You the helpless commits himself; You have been the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.
Psalm 10:14-15 (ESV)
In every community, there are those who have more than they need. Why? To help people in need. Unfortunately, many people in leadership use the system to help themselves or their friends. In this passage, I see three things about God that show His heart toward politicians and how they treat the oppressed.
1. God takes note
… You do see, for you note mischief and vexation…
God sees how leaders treat the oppressed and the afflicted and the poor.
2. God takes charge
… that You may take it into Your hands…
God decides to act in behalf of the oppressed and the afflicted and the poor. He calls the leaders to account.
3. God takes care
… to You the helpless commits himself; You have been the helper of the fatherless…
When the poor cry out to God for help, God hears. And He helps. God is looking for people He can work through to act in behalf of the oppressed and the afflicted and the poor. He takes care of them through people of good character.
In thinking about Joe Price’s character, I was reminded that he was to be "ROASTed" at a fundraiser for his campaign on Wednesday night. I thought about an acrostic using the word ROAST. I think the words below describe Joe's character.
The R stands for Responsible
The O stands for Outgoing
The A stands for Able
The S stands for Servant
The T stands for Tenacious
William Penn said, “Governments depend upon men rather than men upon governments. Let men be good and the government cannot be bad. Though good laws do well, good men do better; for good laws may lack good men, but good men will never lack good laws nor allow bad ones.” (Thomas Clarkson, Memoirs of the Private and Public Life of William Penn (London: Longman, Hunt, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1813), Vol. I, p. 303.)
We need good men and women in responsible roles in government. Through these good men and women, God intends to care for those that our culture leaves behind. I believe that God wants to work through good men like Joe Price.
1. God takes note
… You do see, for you note mischief and vexation…
God sees how leaders treat the oppressed and the afflicted and the poor.
2. God takes charge
… that You may take it into Your hands…
God decides to act in behalf of the oppressed and the afflicted and the poor. He calls the leaders to account.
3. God takes care
… to You the helpless commits himself; You have been the helper of the fatherless…
When the poor cry out to God for help, God hears. And He helps. God is looking for people He can work through to act in behalf of the oppressed and the afflicted and the poor. He takes care of them through people of good character.
In thinking about Joe Price’s character, I was reminded that he was to be "ROASTed" at a fundraiser for his campaign on Wednesday night. I thought about an acrostic using the word ROAST. I think the words below describe Joe's character.
The R stands for Responsible
The O stands for Outgoing
The A stands for Able
The S stands for Servant
The T stands for Tenacious
William Penn said, “Governments depend upon men rather than men upon governments. Let men be good and the government cannot be bad. Though good laws do well, good men do better; for good laws may lack good men, but good men will never lack good laws nor allow bad ones.” (Thomas Clarkson, Memoirs of the Private and Public Life of William Penn (London: Longman, Hunt, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1813), Vol. I, p. 303.)
We need good men and women in responsible roles in government. Through these good men and women, God intends to care for those that our culture leaves behind. I believe that God wants to work through good men like Joe Price.
May God cause many of His people to be willing to step up and be used by God to bless the poor, the afflicted, the needy, and the oppressed.
How are you helping?
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