Application: I was talking with an Adult Study group yesterday about the Fourth Commandment (Honor your Father and Mother) and how Luther's Small Catechism expands "Father and Mother" to "All people in authority." It's a tall order in this hyper partisan age, to commit to "honoring" people in authority, even those we disagree with. Tomorrow, no matter what happens, following this commandment is going to get a lot harder for a significant chunk of America's population. The only question is "which chunk". A lot of people will need your prayers and compassion starting tomorrow, and it will probably not be easy to give.
It's important to remember, though, that unlike with Solomon or even the princes of Luther's day, in our country the "ultimate authority" is with the people. We make conscious choices each day, not just in how best to show honor to elected leaders, but to our friends and neighbors, from whom their authority comes. And tomorrow, for leaders up and down the ballot, for you and your community, for me and for mine, I pray for wisdom. And may the prayers keep coming long after that. We will need them.
Prayer (a paraphrase of 1 Kings 3:7-9)
And now, O Lord our God, you have made your servants rulers in place of David and other kings of old, although we are only little children, we do not know how to go out or to come in. And your servants are in the midst of a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servants, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern good from evil, for who can govern your great people? Amen.
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