Opinion: Story of King Saul holds lessons for the folly of this administration
Recently, one of my Bible study lessons featured King Saul. The lesson was a study in good leadership, and obedience vs sacrifice.
“The finest leaders are those who do not aspire to it. Enduring leaders do not hold on to power beyond their time. Such people who have overstayed their welcome are usually pushed out — and this was Saul’s experience. God himself was loosening Saul’s grip on power.” — The Discovery
In reading that passage from my Bible study guide, and thinking of Saul, who had been anointed king of Israel, and how his disobedience to God led to his downfall, I thought about our leadership in America and how things seem to be going haywire — all because our leaders are not doing what is right for the people they have been called to lead.
In the Bible, Saul had been anointed king of Israel because the people wanted a king to lead them. I thought about our present-day leadership in America. Saul was a man led by his own desires, not those of God or for the good of the people he led. So, when the time came for him to step down from the throne, he rebelled.
Today, it seems that history is repeating itself. We seem to be living under a Saul regime, and the leadership isn’t working. While we have received word that our government, which has endured a 40-day shutdown, will reopen through January 2026, I, and many more Americans see that as a temporary fix. Yet, it gives a glimmer of hope to those who must rely on aid to feed their children, and a temporary reprieve to those federal workers who have been working without a paycheck for nearly two months.
Since this administration took office, it seems that a cloud of unrest and fear has settled over America. It started with the vindictive actions of a man who was determined to rid the country of all who disagreed with him or had offended him in some way. So, while we witnessed people being fired from their jobs simply because our leader doesn’t like them or has a grudge against them, we also witnessed those guilty of leading the Jan. 6. 2021, insurrection being pardoned, and/or set free. Remember, this was a time when the life of the sitting vice president was threatened because he would not go along with declaring the previous election a fraud, and when innocent people lost their life trying to protect the Capitol.
Next came the blatant banning of books, especially those by Black authors, and the not-so-subtle erasing of the contributions of Blacks from our history books.
Yet, the people overlooked these serious flaws and again chose a leader who seems determined to rewrite the history of America, a man who said to America that a vote for him would mean they would never have to vote again, a man who is already hinting at a third term, which I believe, is a plan to make him president forever.
The people chose a man who seems to have little respect for the working class and the poor. We have seen government workers, the people we depend on to keep the country running, fired from their jobs, many without notice.
Our airports are in chaos because some of the air traffic controllers, who help to keep our skies safe, are working overtime, many without pay, while some others simply call in sick. I for one, am so thankful for those who have made the sacrifice to work without pay, or who have had to take on a second job to keep their own home fires burning. I admire their dedication.
As I walk into my kitchen and make a fresh cup of coffee and whatever I want for breakfast, I can’t help but think about those, right here in America, who don’t have the same privilege. These are the families who must rely on the food stamp program (SNAP) to help feed their family. It seems ironic that in America, one of the richest countries in the world, children will go hungry without the food assistance program.
All this is happening under a regime that reminds me of the days of King Saul. But all is not lost, my friends. I am a firm believer in prayer, and that the fervent prayers of the righteous brings about change. As I write this, I believe that there are many who pray daily for our country and its leadership. And while some of you write me saying that you can’t pray for a man like Donald Trump, I say you are not being obedient to God’s instructions. Those instructions direct us to pray for those who have the authority over us. Like it or not, that means we must pray even for President Donald Trump.
You say you don’t know how to pray for him? It’s simple. Just ask the Lord to bless him, to open his eyes to the needs of the people he was called to lead. Ask God to give him a clean and impartial heart, a heart that cares for us all, not just for those who bow to his every whim. I believe that if America prays earnestly for President Trump, we will see some changes for the better. President Trump may be arrogant, rude and uncaring about the most of us, but I believe God can change his heart.
But even if the president doesn’t have a change of heart, it isn’t because God can’t. Perhaps this is a time when we must learn to have patience.
Remember when you were little and everything looked so big? And the days were long, and it seemed to take forever for Christmas to come? It’s kind of like that today. Christmas is no longer a long way off; it’s just around the corner.
I am reminded again of this passage from my Bible study companion, the Discovery: “… The finest leaders are those who do not aspire to it. Enduring leaders do not hold on to power beyond their time.”
My prayer is that the Lord will open President Trump’s eyes to follow the spirit of this passage and be a leader after God’s own heart. I believe this is possible, even in today’s climate. And that, my friends, keeps me hopeful.