6 Things Christians Must Keep in Mind on Inauguration Day

1.     The president was elected through a non-violent, democratic process. This may seem like a given, but it’s a reality that many people around the world long to share, and one for which we should always be grateful.

2.     As Christians, we are called to pray for our leaders, a privilege made even sweeter by the fact that our president is also a Christian.

3.     On a day when we remember the work of Martin Luther King Jr, we are struck by the fact that we have reelected an African American for president of the United States. To celebrate the justice this represents is right and good. May it be a catalyst that moves us toward more acts of justice and mercy in our communities and in our culture. There is still much work to be done.

4.     As Christians, we are reminded today that our ultimate allegiance belongs not to a political party or even a country, but to the Kingdom of God, where the first is last and the last is first, where the peacemakers and the poor are blessed, where enemies are forgiven and slaves are set free, where our King washes feet, where abundant life grows from a tiny seed into a tree—not by power or might but by the Spirit. If this Kingdom can flourish under the Roman Empire, it can flourish under any government, in any country, and in any circumstance. We are never without hope.

5.     There is no place for followers of Jesus to be consumed with either hate or adoration. Jesus teaches us to love even our enemies, to bless and not curse, to reserve our adoration for God alone, and to humble ourselves in the face of power. Responding to today’s events with either despair or unbridled glee communicates to the world that our trust is in the government, not in Christ.

6.     Either way, if you don’t want to be tempted into sinful anger, I recommend staying off Facebook.

(We’ll pick up our series on sexuality and the church tomorrow. Meanwhile, enjoy the day!)