Over the last four years, I have grieved every time I heard a Christian chant, “Let’s Go, Brandon.” Or, even worse, “F*** Joe Biden,” (Which, by the way, is what Let’s Go, Brandon meant). I was heart-sick when I heard about the uproar caused in a church when the pastor said we should pray for President Biden. It’s not that I was a big fan of President Biden; it’s that I am a huge fan of Jesus Christ. Through the Scriptures, he instructs me to love, to pray, and to seek the public good. Soon, the tables will be turned. Soon, I know I will want to be filled with as much hatred and loathing for Trump as they are for Biden, and I fear for my own heart’s condition—that self-righteousness will blind me to the broader truth: those in power, no matter how flawed, also need grace.
I have a duty to love even those in positions of power even when I disagree with them or even when I loathe their character and policies: I am still commanded to love them and pray for them. I do not find in Scripture an endorsement of my civic values that allows me to justify hatred in the name of “biblical values.” I find in Scripture a challenge to transcend my civic and political views. The standard of love Scripture demands is tougher than the familiar biblical commands to care for the weak, which can feel self-affirming. Instead, Scripture calls for sympathy and sincere deference toward those in power—even when their mistakes are costly. Yes, we fight against injustice, but we must guard against giving in to hatred for the oppressor, the exploiter, the unfit, and the lawless. To love your enemies. This is the difficult thing.
If God loved me enough to sacrifice his Son, then I must learn to draw upon that same love to love political leaders—vulnerable and exposed, wielding immense power yet desperate for affirmation and in need of grace. I feel conflicted, as though to surrender to love means I must turn from truth to lies, from compassion to hatred, from the Gospel to nationalism, and from Christ the Just One to lust for wealth and power that justifies any evil. Loving them feels impossible. But perhaps it isn’t. Scripture offers a path forward: I can love them if I do not fear them, when I realize their power over me no longer matters. I can love those in authority when I put them in their rightful place, where all forces bow to one ultimate authority, the Lord. It’s a love that requires trust, humility, and faith—an act of both submission and liberation. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me. Pray for me, a sinner.
Debbie and I serve as the FMI Global Associate Director for MENACA and Europe. We focus on cultivating disciples, leaders, and church planting movements.
