1 Peter 2:13-17 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
For a season, I worked in Washington, D.C., for one of America’s largest Christian political organizations. Sometimes I saw how politics could get ugly and, more often than not, how it changed people — not for the better…but usually for the worse!
As I observed the network and social media coverage over the weekend regarding the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump, I was struck by the highly charged political atmosphere—it’s the worst I’ve ever seen. The level of outrageous attacks happening across the country feels almost surreal. Sadly, I believe these attacks will likely intensify in the days to come. Despite this, I find reasons to be encouraged. Often, what is meant for destruction can be transformed into opportunities for testimony and victorious proclamation!
Let me give you an example: during the period of history known as “the Enlightenment,” the “enlightened” philosopher Voltaire proclaimed that within twenty-five years, the Bible would be forgotten and Christianity would be a thing of the past. Forty years after he died in 1778, Voltaire’s house was purchased and used to print Bibles and other Christian literature. Such is the irony of one man’s prophetic folly. His own house became God’s platform for proclaiming the message that Voltaire despised. Watching the current election process in America, without mentioning names, I suggest we may again witness such an irony.
Don’t let the political season shape you for the worse, with bitterness, mockery, sarcasm, rancor, etc… — but rather, transform the political landscape by who you are — a king and a priest of the Most High! Be a confident, respectful, and quietly shining beacon of light in this dark (political) world, and continue to pray for the Lord’s guiding hand upon the leaders who face the tremendous responsibilities and challenges ahead!
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
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I read a story about a new young partner in a law firm. The senior partners had set extremely high standards and had coached him carefully. He did well in some minor trials but he lost his first big case. When the partners reviewed the trial, they pointed out his errors and suggested different strategies. Even with all their critique, he lost the next big one. He felt terrible. Were they ready to give him the boot?
As Scotland was declaring its independence from England in the 1300’s, the English were hunting for Robert Bruce of Scotland in an attempt to prevent his accession to the Scottish throne. In the search, the English put Bruce’s own bloodhounds on his trail. As they grew closer to apprehending him, Robert the Bruce found a small river, and he said to his foster-brother who was with him, “Let us wade down this stream for a great way, instead of going straight across, and so these unhappy hounds will lose the scent; for if we were once clear of them, I should not be afraid of getting away from the pursuers.”
The first man was called “Ah-dom”, we know him as “Adam”. The word used for “man”, as in “mankind”, in Genesis 1, is also the same word – “Ah-dom”. “Ah-dom” is rooted in the three Hebrew letters, aleph-dalet-mem, and one of the Hebrew words for earth is “Adamah”, which contains the same three letters, however it ends with the Hebrew letter “hay”. “Adamah” means “red earth”, or “red clay”, and this word points to the natural earth elements, the “earth dust” that composed Adam’s body, and the body of every human being since. “Man” is “ah-dom”, in a very real sense, “clay”.
There are two kinds of birds that roam the desert: vultures and hummingbirds. The vulture thrives on a diet of rotting meat. He flies overhead searching for traces of leftover carcasses from slow-footed critters eaten by wild animals who’ve already had their fill.
In Biblical Hebrew, the verb tenses are not like our “past”, “present”, and “future” – there are only two: “perfect” and “imperfect”. The “imperfect” tense is that which is not yet, not done, or not completed. The “perfect” is that which is done, complete and finished.
In 2nd Samuel Chapter 9 we read of the story of King David and Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of the first king of Israel, King Saul. After Jonathan’s death, David went forth to show kindness to Saul’s house. Mephibosheth had become lame at the young age of five — he had lived his entire life as a cripple.
Let’s consider Daniel for a moment. Here is one of the great rulers of the Persian empire, in charge of the King’s affairs and of the affairs of the entire government. If anyone is really busy — it’s Daniel! But in spite of all this responsibility, he makes it a point to set himself apart from the world and pray three times a day.