One of the summer jobs I had as a high schooler was Clod Picker.  It was not glamorous, but I earned an income while working the potato harvest in Idaho.  The job went like this: A huge potato harvester was brought into the field of ripe potatoes.  On top of the harvester was a conveyer belt bringing potatoes, stones and dirt clods from the land beneath.  Because this was decades before the advent of AI, my job was to discern which were potatoes and which weren’t – tossing out the latter.  I must have caught on quickly because Mr. Hohnhorst kept me on for the entire harvest.

Oddly enough, as I watch the mid-term election process in our country, I am reminded of my summer job decades ago. I am saddened at the judgment and blame that is being tossed from side to side.  Stones and clods are thrown around toward anyone who differs from me and my tribe.

I have read many op-eds from various viewpoints, and I lament that Christians sound way too much like the world.

As I remember, Jesus never criticized or condemned Ceaser Augustus, Herod, Pontius Pilate, or any other governing leader of His time. I also don’t recall any Biblical teachings where we as the church are instructed to go out and ridicule, debase, or mock our leaders.

 Jesus never criticized the barbaric Roman government in which He was under authority.  He never said,

“Those Romans, they are the most unjust, deplorable people ever.  They are racists, have no respect for life, taxes are out of control, in fact the old man King Herod tried to kill me when I was a baby, forcing me and my family to flee to Egypt.”   

Instead, He told his followers to pay their taxes without complaining:

Give Caesar what is Caesar’s and God what is God’s.

The Roman government completely ignored Jesus of Nazareth, except when he was born and when he was sentenced to death.  At his death Pilate pretended innocence, washing his hands of the situation.

Jesus knew He belonged to another kingdom, not of this world.  His kingdom was one of self-sacrifice, humility and love, and He Himself was under the authority of His Father the True King.  He prayed for wisdom, trusted his Father and went about doing good.

I wonder what this world would look like if instead of judging, slandering and dissecting every news clip, we prayed for those in authority over us as instructed in Paul’s letter to Timothy:

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.  Ask God to help them, intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.   Pray this way for Kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives, marked by godliness and dignity.  This is good and pleases God our Savior…1 Timothy 2:1-2

Paul also wrote to Titus:

Be subject to rulers and authorities, obedient, ready to do whatever is good.  Slander no one, be peaceable and considerate, showing true humility toward all men. Titus 3:1

The Bible is surprising and intrusive with its use of the word all. We are instructed to pray for all those who are in positions of authority over us, just as we are to show true humility toward all.  Unfortunately, there are no exceptions given to anyone at any time. 

As Christians, if we are a part of another Kingdom – the Kingdom of Heaven – shouldn’t we behave differently than the ways of the Kingdom of the United States of America? Throwing out rocks and clods from a potato harvester is good, throwing verbal rocks and clods at people is not.

I wonder – if we humbled ourselves, confessing our own sins instead of pointing out those of others, praying for those in authority, caring for the weak – what change would occur in our country?