Praying for the President

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As news broke that the President has COVID, I began seeing some conservative friends post about the need to "pray" for his speedy recovery and condemning liberals who are supposedly wishing for Trump's death. I agree we should pray for the President, but how to pray is a deeper issue. 

First, I am sure that a lot of these posts about liberals wanting Trump to die are somewhat driven by bots and algorithms because I have yet to see any of my liberal or progressive friends on social media say these things. They may critique the President's lack of precautions or see this result as a natural consequence of his actions, but I have not seen the wishes or prayers for him to die as these memes and posts would make us believe are widespread. Are there people who are hoping Trump dies? I'm sure. The comments sections anywhere on the internet are filled with both conservatives and liberals who make similar wishes of their opponents; this is not unique to a political side. For example, comments sections regarding Chrissy Teigens' miscarriage will show you conservatives and pro-lifers rejoicing in her suffering under claims of "God's judgment" and that "she deserved it." Desiring suffering and death for our enemies is a human condition, not a political one. My fear is that creating a straw man with posts that presume a majority of liberals want Trump to die from COVID is not helpful to our public discourse, when in reality many (perhaps most, including Biden) are wishing and even praying for a recovery. Bad apples are out there, but let's not create a boogeyman. 

However, when I first saw Trump supporters and evangelicals advocating for others to "pray for the President's quick recovery," there was something inside of me that initially recoiled. I've had the same reaction over the past few years whenever I see politically charged memes calling on Christians to "pray for the President" in various capacities. It's taken me a day or two to sort out why. 

After thinking about it, the reason for my apprehension was not because I believe we shouldn't pray for our President, but rather because the surrounding context makes such calls seem (even if unintentional) simplistic and shallow. 

What I mean is that, while I've seen both conservatives and liberals offer their prayers for a recovery, the strongest calls for prayers for the President's health have come from many of the same people who have consistently backed Trump and refused to criticize him or hold him accountable. Often these are the same people who feel it is their duty to frequently remind their political opponents (using 1 Timothy 2) that they should be praying for the President's success. At the same time, there was often silence about offering the same kinds of prayers for Obama, or at least with much less enthusiasm. 

This is the crucial context. When some Christians give enthusiastic support on a regular basis to a President the majority of Americans see as immoral, corrupt, and cruel, praise him as the "greatest President ever," and fail to EVER offer critiques, people begin to question the morality of your faith. As I've said before, I believe this uncritical and enthusiastic support for Trump from many evangelicals is driving the final nails into the coffin of the church's moral authority and integrity in the eyes of outsiders (and of many insiders). In that context, your calls to pray for Trump ring hollow and are heard by many as just another partisan ploy. I personally don't doubt the sincerity of my fellow believers, but without a prophetic denouncing of Trump's wrongs or equal calls for prayers for your own enemies, such words fall flat. 

Another reason for my reaction is that such calls to prayer seem simplistic and even a bit condescending. Again, given the context, someone who doesn't care for Trump or has been appalled by him over the past 5 years could easily read these posts as "If you don't pray for Trump to quickly recover and get back to his agenda then you are unChristian!" I know that is not likely the intent, but we also know that a big motivation for Trump supporters in praying for the President's recovery is so Trump's agenda or election chances are not ruined. That's simply not going to be a motivation for Trump critics. 

Indeed, if we oversimplify prayer for our leaders, I also think we do a disservice to Scripture. A holistic look a prayer in Scripture reveals a great diversity. 

At one extreme, you have the imprecatory Psalms--prayers for the downfall and destruction of one's enemies and oppressors. 

Psalm 137 reads "Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks." 

Psalm 109 says, "May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership. May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow."

Psalm 10 reads "Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none." 

Psalm 83 prays that cruel "nobles" and "princes" would be destroyed and "become like dung on the ground." That language doesn't square well with the typical insistence on 1 Tim 2:1-2. 

A concern I have with Trump-voting evangelicals who publicly call on people to pray for Trump's recovery is that they do not consider those who feel harmed and oppressed by this President. I have spoken to and listened to many over the past 4 years who are experiencing heightened fear because of the culture of anger and racism Trump has created against people who look like them. There is little question that the President's flip-flopping on the pandemic, ignoring of scientific advice, and contradiction of his own officials and advisors has likely resulted in several thousand additional deaths that could have been prevented. Others of us are simply disgusted by his lying, cruelty, bullying, and attraction to pride and rage that have real-world consequences. 

The fact is that this President has hurt many people, and many people in this country (including millions of Christians) are longing for the day when he will be out of office. If we take on a healthy view of biblical prayer, then we will not tell people to quickly ignore those feelings of anger and despair, but rather to take them to God. Maybe the first step of healthy prayer for those who oppose the President is being brutally honest with God, even if that honesty, like the imprecatory psalms, admits that they are hoping the virus will claim his life.

 
Likewise, I have spent a lot of time recently reading through both the Psalms and the prophets. The prophets, like in many psalms, call out kings and leaders for idolatry and injustice and warn of consequences for kings who do not heed those calls. For example, in 2 Kings 1, when the wicked King Ahaziah has an accident and lies in his bed dying, he sends messengers to the prophet Elijah to ask God if he'll recover. Elijah's response (multiple times) is "you shall not leave your bed; you will surely die." Elijah offers no prayers for recovery (at least that are reported) because the king has long proven his lack of allegiance to God. 

Similarly, in countless oracles issued by nearly all of the prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Amos, etc.) oppressive rulers of other nations are promised downfall as a result of their actions. Perhaps the prophets prayed for wisdom for these leaders and peace for their nation first, but after years of consistent injustice and idolatry there was also an understanding in their prayers that God will deal with unrepentant sin. As citizens of God's Kingdom before any other, the US President should get the same treatment and accountability as any other world leader. 

For those of us who do not line up to support the President, we see years of unrepentant sin and idolatry. Just because he throws out phrases and causes that we evangelicals like doesn't mean the man should be emulated or even has our best interests in mind. He has famously bragged about never having repented, and I can't remember a single time in the past 4 years he has issued an apology for any of his countless scandals or sinful words (if I'm wrong I'll apologize for that assumption). 

 
Even though idols of wood and stone may not exist, Trump is no less ruled by idolatry. His idols are pride, wealth, vanity, anger, revenge, and power. He may not have an Asherah pole at his house, but I suspect he's worshipped before a stripper pole before. And these are not all just past faults; many continue daily. Those that are in the past are ones he has never repented of and sees no reason to. Individuals who are more than happy to offer praise and prayer for the President should consider the depth of frustration among the rest of us. Have empathy; put yourself in our shoes. 

Now, if you think I'm going to say after all this that we should pray for Trump's death, you'd be wrong. As I said above, we should come to prayer with an honesty about how we are feeling, and that includes space for those who hope he dies as well. However, for those of us who claim to follow Jesus, we are living on this side of the cross and resurrection. That means we also follow a King (a true "President" if you will) who calls us to "turn the other cheek," put aside anger, "love our enemies," and "pray for those who persecute us." After we've been honest with God and wrestled with our feelings, we should also strive to pray for our opponent's well-being as hard as it may be. 

 
Indeed, the call of Jesus pulls us toward embrace and empathy. This is especially true with COVID. In the past few days I’ve been reminded of the horrors of this disease. Just today, I received a call from a friend whose father was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance because of his oxygen levels due to COVID. I also saw on Facebook today that a community member I knew just passed away from the disease. As I consider the frightening prospect of a diagnosis for families and the pain of loss thousands have already experienced, I lean on these stories to gain empathy for our flawed President whose own family is likely experiencing their own fears and concerns. 

But one final note is also important (Thanks to Chris Dodson for your recent Facebook post that helped me put my thoughts together here). Throughout Scripture there is also a refrain in prayers and songs asking God to "reverse" the world. Kings and oppressive powers should be brought low, and the humble should be raised up. 

You see is in Miriam's and Moses' Song of the Sea (Exo 15): "In the greatness of Your majesty You threw down those who opposed You. You unleashed Your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble....But You will bring your people in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance." 

You see it in the Beatitudes, especially in Luke's version (Luke 6):
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh....
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. But Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets."

You see it in Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1): 

"He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty." 

All of these Scriptural pleadings for the mighty to fall are not simply vindictive wishes, but, especially on this side of the cross, they should also carry a hope of justice for the hurting and redemption for the proud and mighty. Like Moses pleading with Pharaoh to soften his heart and avoid destruction, we should hope that the downfall of our own opponents and those who act immorally and unjustly should lead to humility. Adversity and downfall should open their eyes to their complicity in pain and help them see God for the first time. 

Two nights ago I read the story of Manasseh, one of the final evil kings of Judah. He completely reversed the spiritual reforms of his father, Hezekiah, and brought the nation back into idolatry and injustice. And after God spoke to him through prophets calling him to repent, he refused and God allowed the king of Assyria to attack Jerusalem and to capture Manasseh, dragging him away with "hooks" and chains. 

However, there is a part of Manasseh's story I had forgotten about until reading it again. In 2 Chronicles 33:10-16 it details how, while in captivity, Manasseh "humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers." God then allowed the humbled king to return to Jerusalem, at which point "Manasseh knew that the LORD was God." And it seems to have stuck. In the final years of his reign, Manasseh removed the idols from his house, destroyed false altars, and began offering sacrifices to the true God once again. 

The story of Manasseh illustrates how I think those of us who cannot abide Trump should pray. Yes, we should pray for a recovery because Donald Trump is also made in the image of God, even as marred as that image may be. As such, his life is also precious in God's eyes. However, we also cannot turn a blind eye to his idolatries, lies, pride, vanity, cruelty, lusts, greed, anger, and words and policies that continue to oppress our neighbors. So, I also pray that this sickness would bring him low, that it would humble him. 

Because if when you say "Pray for the President's recovery," you mean "pray he recovers so things can get back to normal," I want no part of those prayers. I, and a majority of Americans, are sick of his behavior and lack of integrity. Christians like myself are frustrated with his immorality and amazed by our fellow evangelicals who seem to excuse and give passes for it. We don’t want a return to “normal” Trump. Something has got to give. 

I have prayed for years that Trump would show maturity, wisdom, prudence, and peace. I have prayed he would stand up for all vulnerable people in this country, not just the unborn ones when it’s politically convenient. It has not happened. And in the face of no behavior change, no repentance, and no signs of changing course, the only thing I have left is that God would do something drastic in his life to open his eyes. I pray he would be humbled like Manasseh so that he knows God is King. I pray that in the middle of distress and suffering that he would learn the empathy for his fellow Americans he has often seemed to ignore. I pray that being brought low by a virus which does not care whether you are rich or poor, powerful or weak, conservative or liberal, would teach him humility, patience, gratitude, and compassion. 

Now, if you want to simply pray for the President to recover quickly, that is fine, and you should pray as your conscience and the Holy Spirit leads. But realize that many of your fellow Christians already find it difficult to pray for this man and are struggling for the right way to pray for him. So don't guilt them for not praying your way or be offended when they don't pray exactly like you. 

Yes, pray for the President at this time, but don't expect the prayers of others to match yours. Don't reduce prayer to a political spectacle or weapon. My allegiance is to another King, and the prayers of that Kingdom are deeper than most of us tend to imagine.

 

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"To the flag..."

I remember attending Vacation Bible School as a kid and reciting the 3 core pledges good Christian kids were supposed to learn. Remembering these pledges wasn't a problem for me because I also knew them from Wednesday night children's activities at my church. These pledges were the Pledge to the American flag, the pledge to the Christian flag, and the pledge to the Bible (in that order).

Recently I found myself thinking back to those pledges, and in particular to the Christian flag itself. I was driving to work last week and saw a flag pole with both the American and Texas flags flying on it. Of course, in accordance to the US Flag Code, the American flag was flying above the Texas flag. Yet for some reason, I found myself thinking about the Christian flag instead of the Texas flag. In particular, I began thinking about how the Christian flag is (and is not) flown next to the American flag. This also got me wondering about the history of the Christian flag. How did it come about? So, I did a little research.

The Christian flag was developed in America. This should come as no surprise given the color scheme. It was first proposed in 1897 by Charles C. Overton in New York. Overton was selected to fill in as teacher when the guest speaker for his church's Sunday School hour failed to show up. Looking at the American flag, he began to talk about flags and symbolism. At some point in his lesson, he suggested it would be a good idea to have a flag to represent all Christians. Apparently this idea stuck in his mind as he designed such a flag and presented it the following week. By 1907, Overton had partnered with Ralph Diffendorfer, secretary to the Methodist Young People's Missionary Movement, to promote his creation. Within a few years, Methodist pastor Lynn Harold Hough had written the first pledge to the Christian flag. The flag and pledge gained such popularity within churches that they continue to be used today.

One of the interesting conundrums that the creation of this flag has posed, though, is how to fly it in relation to the American flag. As noted above, the US Flag Code states, "No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America." Exceptions are not even made for the U.N. flag or for other "international" flags:

"No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof."1

 However, many Christians have not felt comfortable flying the American flag above the Christian flag. To do so seems to be saying that America is more important than God's Kingdom, and surely that isn't right. At the same time, most Christians also feel very uncomfortable placing the American flag in the secondary position. To illustrate my point, take a look at the following photo:

What was your gut reaction? If you consider yourself patriotic to any degree, there was probably a part of you that thought, "Wait, the stars and stripes should be at the top!"

And the truth is, most Americans agree. In fact, the above is not even a real photo. I could not find a picture on Google with the Christian flag flying above the American flag. I had to Photoshop this picture. The closest you ever find to the above picture are the two flags standing side-by-side at equal height. (The exception to this is on naval ships where sailors are allowed to fly a church pennant above the American flag to signal that the ship is currently holding chapel services. But this a different flag and is probably more to signal to other ships that the crew is not in combat mode and should not be fired upon according to the Geneva Convention.)

The side-by-side solution has become normative. We set both flags in stands of equal height in the sanctuary (the side each flag gets may depend on the particular congregation). At VBS we say BOTH the pledge to the American flag and the pledge to the Christian flag. Churches will invest in a second flag pole to fly the flags side by side (or they will just refrain from flying the Christian flag). We want to say, "Yes, we are fully American, and we are fully Christian."

But the great problem of all of this is that sometimes being an American butts up against being a Christian. Indeed, in recent years I've wondered about the language of our pledges. It seems increasingly odd to pledge one's "allegiance" to one government, and then pledge your "allegiance" to another Kingdom in the next breath. Yes there is such a thing as dual-citizenship, but eventually that breaks down.

I have several relatives who were born oversees in England, Spain, and Germany. I myself was almost born in Germany. And yet, since the parents were American citizens, my relatives became dual citizens. But, dual citizens eventually have to choose. After a certain amount of time, many countries will revoke your citizenship if you fail to live there, or they will make you choose which citizenship you want to use. Even if you are allowed to retain both citizenships, if the two countries ever came into conflict, you would have to choose a side. If the two countries went to war, you can't serve both militaries without being called a traitor in both places.

The word "allegiance" means "loyalty," "devotion," or "obligation." When we pledge "allegiance," we are vowing to give our complete loyalty.  Is it possible to promise your complete allegiance to two different entities and governments? I seem to remember someone once warning against trying to "serve two masters." And the uncomfortable truth is that the Kingdom of God (and yes, "Kingdom" is a political word) often clashes with the Kingdom of America. When push comes to shove, where will our allegiance be?

At the end of the day, I'm not particularly fond of the Christian flag anyway. Personally, if we are going to have a flag to represent the Kingdom of God I'd like to see something a lot more stylish. Maybe a lion or a lamb, or a crown or something. Or at least pick some different colors besides red, white, and blue. But, that's neither here nor there. My point is that we already have a plethora of symbols for God's Kingdom. Whenever we break the bread and drink the wine we are reminded of the dynamics of God's Kingdom. The gathered Body of Christ is a signpost of this truth. Whenever we gather together as the church, we proclaim that we belong to God's Kingdom, not primarily to the Kingdom of America. Our everyday mission and ministry should also be a testimony of our heavenly citizenship.

But I do appreciate the Christian flag for at least one reason--it (should) force us to think about allegiances, citizenship, and treason. It places the conflict of Kingdoms onto symbolic cloths for our eyes to wrestle with. It demands we have uncomfortable discussions about how our culture and government impact us and sometimes blind us to the commands of God.

How do you fly these two flags together? American on top, Christian on top, side-by-side, no Christian, no American, no flags at all? I can't answer that for you. However, one thing the Bible does make abundantly clear is that our primary calling as Christians is to God and His Kingdom--a Kingdom that transcends national boundaries and binds Americans, Iraqis, Israelis, Russians, Chinese, Mexicans, and countless others together. That is where my citizenship lies.

" For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven." Phil. 3:18-20a