Honoring and respecting the president?
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13: 6-7)
At times, it’s difficult for me to know how much and what kind of respect and honor our president is due. I think he was wrongfully (but not illegally) elected in 2000; I think his war policies have been a disaster; I think his environmental policies have likewise; I worry about his support of “faith-based” projects. But he is the president with whom we have to do.
At one Mennonite church we attended, where the members tended to be more conservative than I, the Sunday school teacher asked us once if any of us had anything positive to say about ex-president Bill Clinton, fully expecting us (given the Monica Lewinsky scandal) to have nothing good to say. But it was easy for me to do so as a (relative) liberal in their midst. But the teacher, at least, was frankly incredulous–how could you respect such a person?
This experience helps me understand a bit of the respect and honor I am due political leaders with whom I disagree. Mr Bush is still the legal president (and Mr Cheney the VP). I shouldn’t trash them with words (no “Some village in Texas is missing its idiot” for our car). I can honor & respect the office when I can’t honor and respect the office holder. I can hold them to high standards and disagree–even be outraged–at their actions and policies, but using respectable means and respectful words.
O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of the United States, the Governor of this State, and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer
