We all recognize that a major part of the genius of the Statesman is the ability to see into the future and to effectively plan for it – to make decisions that impact much longer than the term in office. As expressed by Edmund Burke in the eighteenth century:

The great difference between the real statesman and the pretender is that the one sees into the future, while the other regards only the present; the one lives by the day, and acts on expediency; the other acts on enduring principles and for immortality.

In other words, the Statesman does not simply plan to meet the needs of the people over the time in office and will not simply be driven by aspirations of reelection. Rather, the Statesman cares about needs that will improve the quality of life for the people long after leaving office. This represents sincere concern for the people that will make their lives truly better and not just meet needs that will briefly satisfy the people. I believe Burke’s key was when he used the phrase “for immortality”. Burke is suggesting that the Statesman operates with an eternal perspective. I want to explore with you the significance of Burke’s phrase “for immortality” as it applies to the making of Statesmen.

Let us begin by looking at the eternal perspective that can provide this foundation. When Jesus was about to have His life cut short, He encouraged His followers by helping them to see into the future:

Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going (John 14:2-4).

Jesus clearly described the reality of a future life of living in the presence of God that would be eternal in existence for those who would embrace it. We are told about our eternal body we will be robed in:

Jesus Christ … will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

One of God’s servants addressed the issue of looking forward to this privilege, compared to living in this earthly body:

For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

We are admonished to remember that we have an eternal existence to look forward to as we live out these short years on this earth. Then, our Creator clarified through this servant that the body in which we currently live is temporary and we must look forward to the permanent body that we will become if we will allow our Creator to do His work on our behalf. God’s spokesman then addressed how we should live as we look forward to our heavenly existence, based upon our assurance that the promise of Jesus is certain:

So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the [earthly] body we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight, and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless (2 Corinthians. 5:6-10).

God summarizes our expected response to this truth:

We make it our aim to be pleasing to [God].

I submit to you that having such an eternal view on our own lives affects the way we live each day and the decisions we make, all as we look forward to eternity with our loving Creator. We recognize that we will be held accountable for those decisions. Then consider the impact upon our decisions when we recognize that the lives of those we serve are eternal beings. We recognize that we are stewards for the well-being of these eternal beings, all of whom, we are reminded are created in the image of God and have eternal significance.

According to Burke, the Statesman acts with the future in mind, including with immortality in mind. Hence, we must conclude that our own preparation for eternity, and our keeping our focus upon it, as we go about our daily lives can impact the Statesman’s decision-making. As a part of that stewardship, we must ensure that our decisions facilitate the journey of each person under our care toward the eternal life that awaits them. Applying this reality to the life of the governing official is what, Burke is convinced, contributes to the making of the Statesman.

With this in mind, what must we do, and everyone we are responsible for, to ensure that we each have this future to look forward to? Returning to Jesus’ words:

I am going away to prepare a place for you … I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also (John 14:2-3).

We have the promise by Jesus, supported by the integrity of His character, which is clear to every thoughtful person. Then, Jesus assures us that He has clearly given us everything we need to know to receive this eternal life with Him:

You know the way to where I am going (John 14:4).

As Jesus continued this conversation with His followers, He reminded us of what that way is:

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 10:10).

Jesus referred to the one and only provision for our sin nature through His death and resurrection, which soon followed. As a result of embracing Jesus’ provision for what would otherwise lead to an eternity apart from Him in hell, we have assurance of an eternity with Him, with His Father, and with all those who have embraced this same provision.

APPLICATION FOR THE STATESMAN

As a private citizen, am I prepared for eternity, in the presence of God as opposed to away from Him in hell?

As a government decision-maker, do my decisions reflect recognition that those I am called to serve are eternal beings headed for heaven or hell and need to be treated as created in the image of God and with immense dignity?

The post The Long Term Planning of the Statesman appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

Ce qui rend le gouvernement spécial parmi les institutions établies par notre Créateur pour assurer une société ordonnée, aux côtés des institutions familiales et religieuses, c’est l’autorité qui a été donnée au gouvernement. Afin d’exercer correctement l’autorité de la fonction, il est nécessaire de comprendre l’autorité accordée au gouvernement et aux fonctionnaires individuels servant au sein de cette institution. Nous apprenons à cet égard que Pilate, l’administrateur romain qui avait la responsabilité de traiter avec Jésus suite aux accusations selon lesquelles il devrait être mis à mort pour avoir prétendu être Dieu. À un moment donné, lorsque Pilate interroge Jésus, on nous dit :

Jésus ne lui a pas donné de réponse. Alors Pilate lui dit : « Tu ne me parles pas ? Ne sais-tu pas que j’ai le pouvoir de te libérer et le pouvoir de te crucifier ? (Jean 19 : 9-10)

Pilate a déclaré qu’il avait le pouvoir de mettre Jésus à mort. La réponse de Jésus à Pilate nous enseigne :

Vous n’auriez aucune autorité sur Moi si elle ne vous avait pas été donnée d’en haut (Jean 19 : 11).

Jésus n’a pas contesté le fait que Pilate avait le pouvoir de le mettre à mort. Et Jésus, parlant en tant que Dieu et au nom de la Divinité, confirma que Pilate possédait cette autorité en vertu de sa fonction. Jésus, en tant que Dieu, aurait pu retirer cette autorité à Pilate dans ce cas précis, mais il a choisi de l’autoriser afin de payer le prix de notre péché en tant que Sauveur de l’humanité.

Ailleurs, nous en apprenons davantage sur l’autorité que possèdent les responsables gouvernementaux, y compris la manière dont elle doit être perçue à la fois par les responsables gouvernementaux et par le peuple :

Chacun doit se soumettre aux autorités gouvernantes, car il n’y a d’autorité que celle de Dieu, et celles qui existent sont instituées par Dieu. Ainsi donc, celui qui résiste à l’autorité s’oppose au commandement de Dieu, et ceux qui s’y opposent attireront le jugement sur eux-mêmes. Car les dirigeants ne sont pas une terreur pour la bonne conduite, mais pour la mauvaise. Voulez-vous ne pas avoir peur de l’autorité ? Faites ce qui est bien et vous aurez son approbation. Car le gouvernement est le serviteur de Dieu pour votre bien. Mais si vous faites le mal, ayez peur, car il ne porte pas l’épée sans raison. Car le gouvernement est le serviteur de Dieu, un vengeur qui attire la colère contre celui qui fait le mal. Par conséquent, vous devez vous soumettre, non seulement à cause de la colère [du gouvernement], mais aussi à cause de votre conscience. Et c’est pour cette raison que vous payez des impôts, puisque les autorités sont les serviteurs publics de Dieu, qui s’occupent continuellement de ces tâches (Romains 13 : 1-6).

Ce passage soutient l’affirmation de Jésus selon laquelle le gouvernement possède l’autorité, y compris l’épée, ce qui indique clairement l’autorité d’infliger des châtiments corporels et que cette autorité lui est accordée par Dieu. Toutefois, ce pouvoir doit être utilisé avec prudence, en reconnaissant que :

Le gouvernement est le serviteur de Dieu (Romains 13 : 4).

Le gouvernement en tant qu’institution est conçu pour servir le dessein de Dieu visant à créer une société pieuse garantissant le bien-être de tous :

afin que nous puissions mener une vie tranquille et tranquille en toute piété et dignité (2 Timothée 2 : 2).

Et les responsables gouvernementaux sont les serviteurs de Dieu pour y parvenir :

les autorités sont les serviteurs publics de Dieu, s’occupant continuellement de ces tâches (Romains 13 : 6).

Le gouvernement est établi par Dieu dans le but de créer une société juste et ordonnée. Par conséquent, une partie importante de cette autorité consiste à encourager les bons comportements :

Car les dirigeants ne sont pas une terreur pour la bonne conduite, mais pour la mauvaise. Voulez-vous ne pas avoir peur de l’autorité ? Faites ce qui est bien et vous aurez son approbation. Car le gouvernement est le serviteur de Dieu pour votre bien. Mais si vous faites le mal, ayez peur, car il ne porte pas l’épée sans raison. Car le gouvernement est le serviteur de Dieu, un vengeur qui suscite la colère contre celui qui fait le mal (Romains 13 : 3-4).

La colère du gouvernement face aux actes répréhensibles individuels est censée être en harmonie avec le fait que Dieu convainc l’individu à travers la conscience qu’Il a implantée en nous. Ainsi, cette menace de punition vise à créer la société et la qualité de vie souhaitées par notre Créateur. Ainsi, clairement, en dispensant la justice au sein de la société, le gouvernement doit être une extension du plan de notre Créateur, avec l’exigence d’opérer sous sa direction dans l’exercice de cette autorité. Avec la menace de sanctions, rien n’indique que cette autorité puisse être utilisée à d’autres fins que celle d’encourager et de faire respecter un bon comportement – certainement pas pour le pouvoir politique.

Le peuple doit considérer les fonctionnaires comme des « fonctionnaires de Dieu ». Et le gouvernement est censé être le serviteur de Dieu. En tant que tel, le peuple est censé respecter l’autorité que détient le gouvernement :

Mais si vous faites le mal, ayez peur, car il ne porte pas l’épée sans raison. Car le gouvernement est le serviteur de Dieu, un vengeur qui suscite la colère contre celui qui fait le mal (Romains 13 : 4).

Le but du gouvernement n’est pas d’instiller la peur, mais plutôt le respect de l’autorité et d’encourager un comportement sociétal sain – « pour votre bien ». La vie de la population sera sensiblement meilleure grâce à l’exercice sain de cette autorité par le gouvernement et ses fonctionnaires.

APPLICATION DE CETTE VÉRITÉ À L’HOMME D’ÉTAT :

Est-ce que je reconnais que l’autorité que j’exerce dans ma fonction vient de Dieu ?

Est-ce que je reconnais que j’exerce cette autorité en tant que serviteur de Dieu et sous sa direction en tant qu’instrument ?

Les gens reconnaissent-ils que j’exerce cette autorité en tant que serviteur de Dieu ?

Si l’autorité dont je dispose dans mon poste vient de Dieu, ne devrais-je pas le consulter attentivement dans l’exercice de cette autorité pour m’assurer que j’exerce cette autorité d’une manière qu’il désire et approuve ?

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A part of the human condition is a shortsightedness that we must compete with each other so that I can only benefit at someone else’s loss. But is it really to my advantage to benefit from someone else’s loss of advantage? Is it not possible that by employing our apparent advantages, we may make life better for each other, ourselves included? Is it possible that we could have the attitude that if we all benefit, it is to everyone’s advantage? Let us reflect for a moment on our Creator’s plan. Our Creator designed our world with abundance, with the intent that every one of His creation experience a life of abundance. This is clear throughout His Instruction Manual, for example:

You brought us out to abundance (Psalm 66:12).

God created mankind as His highest achievement. In a key description of God’s created order, He informed us:

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This food will be for you” (Genesis 1:26-29).

Hence, we must recognize that mankind is the pinnacle of God’s creation and that every other created thing is given to mankind for the purpose of supporting the quality of life that God described elsewhere as: “a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:2).

Thus, as we look at the supporting mechanisms that our Creator has built around us to achieve that quality of life for every human being, we must feel free to use it to benefit ourselves as a global community. However, let us also remember that when God described His creation to mankind, the words He used were: “I have given you”. We must be careful to remember that the word He used for “you” in the original language is in the plural, not in the singular. Thus, I dare not use His supporting creation in such a way that it benefits me or my people to the exclusion of other segments of mankind that God loves equally as much.

This includes my respecting my fellow humans right to fully utilize the natural resources our Creator has placed within their hands. Furthermore, this includes respecting their stewardship over those resources and their right to fully utilize those resources in a way that will benefit their people, and where possible, even my helping them in that utilization.

Let us consider Jesus’ teachings on this issue:

Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them—this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12).

This teaching is so noble that it is often called “The Golden Rule”. What are God and Jesus telling us? Is it not this? ꟷ Help each other; There is enough to go around; God is big enough to meet all of our needs. Our Creator has ultimately intended for everyone to have enough, and we do not need to take away from others. Jesus clarified repeatedly:

Love one another (John 13:34; 15:12).

In other words, “care for each other”. This was expected to have practical consequences, as one of God’s spokesmen taught its application:

For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for selfish advantage, but serve one another through love (Galatians 5:13).

Can this work in the world of politics? It is with this in mind that I find the example of George C. Marshall especially inspiring. Marshall, while he was Foreign Minister, displayed the heart of a Statesman. Marshall was convinced at the end of the destructive war in Europe that it was to everyone’s advantage, the United States included, for Europe to be re-built and transformed into its full economic capacity. Through Marshall’s efforts for helping the reconstruction of Europe, he not only assisted in the creation of a giant economic engine that Europe became, but he strengthened democracy in the participating nations at a time of vulnerability, and strengthened cooperation among European nations.

Marshal’s vision was so important to him that he sacrificed his own political future by publicly vowing not to run for President so that those in the opposing political party, who controlled the legislature and the finances, would not distrust his vision and to have the best hope of their embracing his vision as apolitical. His vision for the rebuilding of Europe caused him to persuade American politicians and businessmen to make huge contributions that they were not prepared to make and which they often resisted. And yet, I am convinced that George Marshall changed the course of history when one considers the dynamics of the Cold War and the battle between the market economy and democracy on the one hand, and the centrally planned economy and communism on the other. Apart from the vision and perseverance of George Marshall, I am convinced that the history of Europe would have taken a far different course. The struggle between communism and democracy would have taken a far different path, with probably several more European nations falling to communism.

I believe that the values that motivated Marshall to commit his energy to such a vision are consistent with our Creator’s intent, which was expressed this way through one of His servants:

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood? (Isaiah 58:7)

Jesus said it this way:

The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same (Luke 3:11).

Other servants of God said it this way:

The Lord of Hosts says this: Make fair decisions. Show faithful love and compassion to one another (Zechariah 7:9).

This makes for happiness among the parts, so that the parts have the same care for each other that they do for themselves (1 Corinthians 12:25).

CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE STATESMAN. Can I recognize that I have responsibility to take the well-being of people in other nations into consideration as I makes decisions as a Statesman?

The post The Statesman’s View as Shared Beneficiary appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

As we learn to work with God, who is our Supreme Master, the One who rules over our nations, it is essential that we fully understand Him. One essential element is understanding His general goodness to mankind not based upon our particular goodness or our obedience to Him, but because of His love for His creation. This has great consequences for our efforts in administering our nations.

Jesus reminds us that our God generously and broadly pours out goodness upon His creation as a manifestation of His love for His creation, regardless of our attitude toward Him:

He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45).

We know this instinctively in our hearts. He already gave us the evidence of His existence and His character through His creation:

What can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse (Romans 1:18-20).

Even without anyone teaching us on God’s behalf, we have everything we need to know that He exists and what His character is. But then He added evidence of His goodness. We are reminded:

Does His light not shine on everyone? (Job 25:3)

He did not leave Himself without a witness, since He did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and satisfying your hearts with food and happiness (Acts 14:17).

Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light (James 1:17).

The correct view is that God, our Creator, cares for us. If it were not for His providing a foundation of goodness, we would face impossible challenges. The sunshine that we take for granted provides a foundation for life, as does the rain and the water. Then, when we begin to think about the uniqueness of the air we breathe in sustaining life, we remember what an amazing Creator we have who created precisely what we need.

Often the word ‘grace’ is used to describe these spontaneous gifts from God to His creation, referring to a gift that is undeserved.

All of this is a part of His undeserved and unmerited love toward us:

We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; His perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what He might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what He might do to us and shows that we are not fully convinced that He really loves us (1 John 4:18).

As we stand amazed at God’s goodness toward us that is not deserved, there are issues we must consider: Does God withhold that grace when we disobey His clear instructions? Can we push God to withhold that grace by not properly acknowledging it? We are reminded:

Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father disciplines the son he delights in (Proverbs 3:11-12).

We know that God does inflict judgment for disobedience. We also know that those who appreciate His goodness do not abuse His grace – His kindness, His love. We can get a feeling for what we take for granted whenever we experience a natural disaster that disrupts that baseline of His goodness. In each case, we will ask: Is this God withholding His goodness and His blessings that we often take for granted? Or is it the work of our evil adversary, the devil?

This has immense consequences for the individual but especially for the governing official attempting to do good for the people. If it were not for His providing a foundation of goodness, we would face insurmountable challenges. The disruption caused at times of natural disaster impacts our governmental priorities and prevents us from implementing the good we had intended. Governing officials are dependent upon His baseline of love and goodness upon which to build efforts for improving the lives of our people. We know His goal for our people is “that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:2).

We need to maximize His blessings added to that baseline of goodness and not challenge Him to withhold His goodness in an effort to gain our attention. We must make sure that our Master knows that we are thankful for His goodness that we do not deserve and do our best to become worthy of His love through our obedience and seeking His forgiveness.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE STATESMAN. There is the issue of individual and national appreciation for His love and His goodness. For example,

How am I showing my appreciation for my Master’s love and goodness for myself first and also for my people?

How am I inspiring all who serve with me to recognize and show appreciation for our Master’s love and goodness?

How am I inspiring my people, who are the recipients of our Master’s kindness, to show appreciation to Him for His love and goodness?

We are reminded:

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever (Psalm 118:1).

Clearly, our Master wishes us as a community to acknowledge our gratefulness to Him for His goodness. Then, He wishes us to make decisions that support His efforts and would be in line with His goals.

Let us strive to become Statesmen who are His instruments to demonstrate and promote His character for the lives of the people.

The post The Statesman Benefits from the Undeserved Goodness of God appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

The Statesman struggles to find the most effective solution to each problem faced. Let us look at the issue from a different perspective. The issue becomes clearer when we begin to consider the underlying values that must guide those solutions.

King Solomon, ruled during the tenth century B.C. He is described as a wise king, as well as one orchestrating the grandeur of his nation. From what we know of his governing, he comes close to being a Statesman, especially during the early portion of his reign. In his desire for his son Rehoboam to be an even better leader – literally, a Statesman – King Solomon provided advice and instructions for his son. These comprise his wisdom for being a good leader, but also for avoiding mistakes he had made. What makes these instructions intended for his son to govern as a Statesman so valuable is that they are available for us to study since they are recorded in the book of Proverbs within the Bible. Therefore, the advice King Solomon provided for Rehoboam to govern as a Statesman is available to us. Proverbs may be viewed as a handbook for governing as a Statesman and we also may benefit from it. King Solomon begins:

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction (1:8).

King Solomon lays out his goals for his son in the instructions that follow:

For learning what wisdom and discipline are; for understanding insightful sayings; for receiving wise instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man— a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance (1:2-6).

In this introduction, Solomon identifies the essential values necessary for good leadership: “righteousness, justice, and integrity”.  Then, he addresses the issue of good decision-making resulting from those values: “shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion”. Another rendering of this goal is:

That prudence (good judgment, astute common sense) may be given to the naive or inexperienced, And knowledge and discretion (intelligent discernment) to the youth (1:4).

Thus, in this introduction, he addresses his goal as the art of statecraft. Solomon lays out the foundation he is convinced underlies all he is about to impart:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline (1:7).

Properly understood, the Bible is God’s instruction book for all of life, literally, God’s handbook for living. Of particular relevance to leaders, the Bible is God’s handbook for governing. Further, when we begin to look for God’s mind for good leadership, Proverbs should be viewed as God’s handbook for the Statesman.

What makes Proverbs even more valuable is recognizing that Solomon wrote it based not only on his successes, but his failures. In dealing with his failings, he wanted to help his son avoid repeating his own mistakes. The Statesman may be tempted to overlook the book of Proverbs because it does not deal with specific governmental decisions. Rather, it provides the fundamental values that support the heart of the Statesman and lead to making statesman-like decisions. It deals with the fundamentals of righteousness, integrity, and justice, but also deals with many related issues dependent upon these values. Solomon places God’s wisdom in the context of meeting these fundamental priorities. Notice the interplay of God’s wisdom, righteousness, integrity, and justice in the second phase of his introduction:

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding; furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.  For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity so that He may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His loyal followers. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity—every good path. For wisdom will enter your mind, and knowledge will delight your heart. Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you, rescuing you from the way of evil— from the one who says perverse things, from those who abandon the right paths to walk in ways of darkness, from those who enjoy doing evil and celebrate perversion, whose paths are crooked, and whose ways are devious. It will rescue you from a forbidden woman, from a stranger with her flattering talk, who abandons the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God… None return who go to her; none reach the paths of life. So follow the way of good people, and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land, and those of integrity will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous uprooted from it (2:1-22).

His guidance is intended to help the leader to protect the right path in his own life and avoid falling into the wrong path. It even addresses the issue that led to Solomon’s downfall: what he describes as “forbidden women”. This early section alone is a treasure for the Statesman. However, it is essential to proceed through the remaining 27 chapters to build on the principles described in the introduction. It deals with issues confronting every segment of the administration of Government, including the executive, the legislative, as well as the judicial. Hence, absorbing its principles is valuable for all who serve in Government.

Throughout Proverbs, King Solomon identifies the fundamental issue as the “heart”. King Solomon was convinced that what made a Statesman was the heart. He refers to the heart 64 times in his instructions, for example:

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life (Proverbs 4:23).

Let us seek to benefit even more than King Solomon’s son did and benefit as a Statesman in the way King Solomon intended for Rehoboam. One of the recurring themes throughout this instruction is “honor” that results from following his instructions. It is precisely “honor” that causes one to be remembered as a Statesman. I am convinced that all who have the desire to finish as a Statesman should study this valuable book, whose goal is to help you to finish with “honor” – in other words, as a Statesman. Let us take the first step today, beginning with Solomon’s foundational truth:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (9:10).

The post Handbook for Governing as a Statesman appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

(NOTE: This statement was delivered to a group of diplomats at the United Nations, New York 19 June 1986.)

Every nation has its treasures – those things that it values from a cultural or material point of view. Typically, the national treasures are items that are an integral part of the national identity.

My experience is that most nations are not able to identify that which is truly their most important treasure and, through lack of understanding, largely waste this valuable resource. The most valuable treasure a nation has is those who are God’s people. My purpose is, first, to alert you to what God intends for the Christian community in your nation so that your nation can benefit maximally from their presence. It is not necessary for a government official to be a Christian in order to benefit from this analysis. Then, I will consider with you how other segments of society can participate in being this treasure.  Let me emphasize that the promises God makes to His people are not restricted to the so‑called Christians; they are available to others as well, but there are some essential conditions that must be met. In my initial analysis, I will use the terms true Christians and God’s people interchangeably and, then, indicate the conditions for broadening the latter.

God has made it very clear that He intends to bless any nation whose Christians, even if they are a small minority, are functioning properly with regard to God and the government. If a nation is not experiencing well‑being, much of the problem must be laid at the doorstep of the Christians, because they often do not know how to live as followers of Jesus Christ, acting on the privileges and responsibilities that are theirs. If they are living the lives God intends for them, then helping the government, no matter what the form, will be an exciting challenge.

The first step in our analysis is to understand who the Christians are. It is worth taking the time to define our terms. One problem lies with the meaning of the word Christian. Contrary to common usage, being born into a certain family, social group or ethnic group does not make one a Christian, nor does going to church. A person is not a true Christian by virtue of any of these reasons. I will refer to the person who considers himself a Christian based on any of these criteria as a cultural Christian. Rather, the word Christian means a “follower of Jesus Christ”.¹  The true Christian is one who has recognized the existence of the all‑powerful, all‑loving God who has created this world and everything in it. He is one who recognizes that God created him in love and that he can only fulfill the purpose for which God created him by being in harmony with God. He is one who has recognized that God is perfectly holy and that we as humans are not holy and, as a result, are separated from God. The true Christian is one who recognizes that this alienation between man and God cannot be corrected by anything that man can do, that in fact only God could do it Himself by coming in human form as Jesus. He is one who has recognized that he must claim Jesus’ death as the basis for God’s forgiveness of his sins so that he may be in harmony with God.

The Bible teaches that the true follower of Jesus Christ is one who, as the result of a willful decision, has all of God dwelling within him, giving him the capacity to live his life in reliance upon God’s wisdom and strength. Because of God’s presence within his life, he has the capacity to change to become more like Jesus as he follows his Lord in obedience. He has the capacity to love others without regard to personal gain, which will make him a useful citizen. On the other hand, the cultural Christian has none of these resources, but rather is living his life in his own strength. It is important for government officials to distinguish between those who are cultural Christians and those who are true Christians.

The second step is to understand the attitude toward government which God expects of all true Christians. The follower of Jesus Christ realizes that government officials are God’s servants, placed in office by Him, and that it is God who determines when individual officials or the government itself will be changed.² A Christian should support the government, rather than undermine it. He must support the government even if he finds the government not properly applying God’s principles and he must tell it so. It would be the rare instance when he would find that obedience to government would conflict with obedience to God. Obedient Christians pray for wisdom for government officials. The government does not need to fear true Christians. Contrary to some rumours, God does not specify the form a government should take. God does care about justice, and points out that the purpose of government is to serve the people. It is important to note that sometimes the Christian community, often comprised mainly of cultural Christians, consists of minority ethnic or cultural groups and that their differences with the government may be based less upon spiritual considerations than upon ethnic or political motivations. Government officials can expect a higher standard for behaviour from true Christians.³

The third step is to understand what makes the Christians such a valuable resource and what the Christians must be doing to contribute to national strength, stability and prosperity. God makes it clear that the well‑being of a nation is dependent upon the obedience of His followers within that nation. The Christians are to intercede with God for the nation. God has told us through His servant:

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.⁴

The Christians are to pray for the nation. The goal is the well‑being of society. This purpose is stated with these words: “in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet (or peaceful) life in all godliness and dignity.” Our world, by and large, does not know this quality of life. But it is God’s intention that we have it. It is the Christians’ responsibility through faithfully interceding with God on behalf of the nation to bring about well‑being.

They are the ones who must pray. They are the only ones who can pray and be heard. God tells us:

The arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.⁵

Thus, the prayers of others will be ineffective.

The Christians must pray on behalf of all men and women, not just themselves. They are to represent the nation at large, as a steward holding a prized possession. Notice that they are to pray for leaders, presumably that leaders will make the kinds of decisions that will allow us to live a “tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” The problems in our world are so complex that, apart from God supplying wisdom, leaders cannot make the kinds of decisions that will allow us to live a “tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” God’s people have the power to change their nation and they must unleash that power through diligent prayer, as a faithful steward.

The Christian who is trusting God has great power at his disposal, power that is to be used for good. Listen to these words from one of God’s servants: “I can do everything through God who gives me strength.”⁶ However, it is important to realize that the Christian must learn to use this resource: Christians are admonished:

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know…His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. ⁷

Amazingly, followers of Jesus Christ have at their disposal the same power that God exerted when He raised Jesus from the dead. It is not automatic that the Christian will have this power. If he refuses to trust God, he will not experience this power. Thus, they are told “You do not have because you do not ask God.”⁸ The Christian has the power at his disposal to change his nation for the better, if he will use it!

Another way that the Christians must serve the well‑being of the nation is through being a righteous group standing between God and the nation He will deal with. Listen to these words from God as He dealt with one nation:

The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery, they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land, so I would not have to destroy it; but I found none. So I will pour out My wrath on them and consume them with My fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done.⁹

God is speaking here about a wall of righteousness. God deals with nations based upon justice and righteousness. According to this criterion, He blesses or punishes nations. However, the presence of a righteous group will cause God to deal positively with that nation.

In one case, God said with regard to a city‑state He intended to punish, “If I find…fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”¹⁰ The Christians must be the righteous group standing in the gap between God and the nation that He will deal with.

This is a serious responsibility, again a stewardship. The Christians must purify themselves in holiness for this task. We must encourage the Christians in this. Because of the seriousness of this responsibility, we must do everything we can to help the Christians to be this holy, righteous people on behalf of our nations. Consider the benefits God promised as He spoke to one nation:

If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.¹¹

Notice that the requirement is for God’s people to repent. He does not expect or require 100% of the population to participate. However, He does require His people to repent. Presumably, they are to repent of their own sins but also for the sins of their nation. They are to intercede before God for the sins of the nation – sins that would otherwise cause Him to discipline that nation. But note well: The result is God’s blessing, not just on the few who prayed, but on the whole nation. You must be aware of that. The Christians’ sincere, united prayers of repentance on behalf of the nation can affect the well‑being of the whole nation. We must help the Christians to be a responsible group, who take the well‑being of their nation seriously.

Another way we can expect the Christians to contribute to the well‑being of our nations is through functioning, as God intended, as a righteous salt, working to bring justice and righteousness, as much as possible, to an imperfect world. Jesus said to His followers: “You are the salt of the earth….”¹² At the time Jesus made this statement, what was the primary function of salt? Obviously, it was as a preservative.  In Jesus’ day, the common way to preserve meat and other perishable foods was with salt. Jesus was telling His followers that they were to be a preservative to society. It is interesting to recall that the recipe for preserving a certain quantity of meat requires using an amount of salt that is considerably less than that of the meat being preserved. The lesson is this: Jesus was saying that it is not necessary for everyone in society to be a follower of His before His followers can exert a salting influence upon society as a moral preservative; a small committed group can exert a salting influence upon society.

As Jesus’ followers exert this salting influence upon society, there will be a wave of spiritual renewal that will spread throughout society and will cause many others to be changed into salt as well. This wave of spiritual renewal leads to the well‑being of a nation in two ways. First of all, it affects the way man responds to man. Man whose heart has been changed by God is capable of sincerely caring about his fellow man. This can lead to a dramatic, positive change within society. There have been many beautiful examples of this throughout history.

More importantly, this wave of spiritual renewal affects the way God responds to society. It affects whether God will respond with blessing or with discipline. This is the forgotten component of national well‑being – the overlooked ingredient in national development. God instructed one nation:

Test Me now in this, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing, that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in the field will not cast their fruit. Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land.¹³

Spiritual renewal within a society causes God to pour out His rich blessing upon a nation. When a nation is not allowing God’s people to follow His blueprint for their lives, no amount of human effort, no amount of money can overcome the suffering that will be experienced by all the people. Therefore, it is essential that we encourage this salt to have its greatest possible effect upon our nations.

While God loves all people, He has a special relationship with His people and they are the ones who must be the intercessors between the nation and the God who would judge that nation. They must take that special responsibility upon themselves. They must pray for the well‑being of the nation and remain a righteous yeast in order for the nation to prosper. Knowing what I do, if I were a government official, even if I did not acknowledge the God of the Bible, I would encourage the Christians in my nation to get to know their God, to obey Him and to pray for the well‑being of the nation. Darius, King of Persia, in 520 B.C. provided a clear example for us when he directed his governors to help God’s followers who had lived as foreigners in his nation:

Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God….Whatever is needed…must be given them daily without fail, so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.¹⁴

The King understood that these servants of God were the most important resource he had, even though he did not worship their God. He realized that his own well-being was dependent upon God’s servants being obedient to God.

It is important to note that every contribution that the Christians can make to the well‑being of a nation requires that they be living to their fullest potential as followers of Jesus. Because of the heavy responsibility that the Christians have before God for their nation, it is essential for the government leadership to help them walk with God to the fullest.

There are no secret, mystical instructions for the Christians. All are clearly laid out in the Bible for all to read. The Bible makes it clear there are no new divine revelations that overrule, outdate or contradict God’s clear instructions in the Bible. Therefore, you can know what to expect of the Christians and you can help them live up to those standards, even if those standards are not your own.

God has provided a standard for evaluating Christians. He said “By their fruit you will recognize them.”¹⁵ Government officials must apply this criterion. Christians, like all people, have the capacity to be deceived by self‑motivation. One Bible writer, in addressing Christians distracted from God’s purposes, said “You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?”¹⁶ Notice that last statement: “Are you not acting like mere men?” The Christian is given the capacity to live on a different plane than natural man. He has the capacity to live with God’s wisdom and God’s power at his disposal, and to see results that can only be explained on the supernatural plane. Sadly though, the Christian, with this special privilege, also has the capacity to live on the human plane – to rely on himself rather than God. A significant fraction of Christians are living on the human plane, wasting the resource God has placed at their disposal and living for themselves rather than for God. Elsewhere, it is said more strongly: “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”¹⁷ This is a personal and a national tragedy. My advice is to evaluate the actions of the Christians in your nation. Furthermore, I encourage you to admonish the Christians, for the sake of your nation, to live faithful lives as good stewards of the precious resource He has made them. Then, I encourage you to do everything you can do to help the Christians to live their lives before God in complete obedience to Him. It is essential for the sake of your nation that you spare no effort in helping them.

The crucial question is this: How can we increase the size of this national treasure? If this treasure is so important to the well‑being of our nations, then we should protect it with everything we have and we should do whatever we can to increase the size of it.

The true Christian will automatically do this. The true Christian will want to help others embrace his faith. In fact, this is one test of the true Christian. The true Christian realizes he has been given a gift he doesn’t deserve as a human being and that he has no right to keep it to himself. He is compelled to help others enjoy it. He cannot do otherwise. Jesus said “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’”¹⁸ We must encourage our Christians to help others find this living water.

A strategic part of increasing the national treasure involves helping everyone to realize that the special privilege of being God’s people is not limited to those who wear the label Christian, but is available to all. The religious or cultural label a person wears is not so important. Rather, what is important is the basis a person claims for that friendship with God. God is holy in every way. Sadly, we are not. As it is written:

There is no one righteous, not even one….All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one….All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.¹⁹.

Because of our unholiness, we are excluded from God’s presence. There is no way we can overcome this and compensate for our offense. The only one who could adequately pay the penalty for our offense is God Himself who came in human form – as Jesus – to die on our behalf as a substitute for us. Jesus made statements such as: “I and the Father are one”²⁰ and “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.”²¹ He also said that He “came to seek and to save what was lost”²² and “to give His life as a ransom for many.”²³ Jesus went on to say: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”²⁴ Jesus said “He who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”²⁵

God came as Jesus to earth and died, then conquered death and came alive again, to bring to God not only those who were cultural Christians but peoples of all cultures. I am convinced this is what Mahatma Gandhi meant when he said:

Because the life of Jesus has the significance and the transcendency to which I have alluded, I believe that he belongs not solely to Christianity, but to the entire world; to all races and people, it matters little under what flag, name or doctrine they may work, profess a faith or worship a God inherited from their ancestors.²⁶

Similarly, Rabindrinath Tagore is purported to have said “Jesus of Galilee is the only universal saviour among the founders of the religions of the world.” To truly be one of God’s people does not mean to wear the label Christian or any other label. Rather, it means to be a person of any culture who humbly embraces Jesus and His death as the only provision God has made available for the forgiveness of our sins and for establishing friendship between us and God. Neither God nor Jesus ever used the word Christian. Rather, God used the expression My people. Anyone of any culture can experience the privileges and responsibilities I have described for God’s people and can participate uniquely in bringing blessing to his nation.

The role that God’s people can play is so crucial that we should do everything we can to increase the size of that group.  We should encourage true Christians to live faithfully with their God. We should encourage cultural Christians and those of other religious and cultural groups to become God’s people as He has defined this group.

Finally, let me close with this thought: If the most important national treasure my country has is God’s people, shouldn’t I make sure that I am part of this group? How do we place our faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, so we can enter into an intimate relationship with God that lasts forever and allows us to play this strategic role in our nations? The illustration that communicates best to me relates to the region where I grew up – near Niagara Falls. The water flows over Niagara Falls so violently that if anyone falls into the water, it is certain death. Many people do risky things over Niagara Falls to gain attention. One of these was a tightrope walker. He had a wire strung over the Falls, from one side to the other. This man first walked along this wire from one side of the Falls to the other, and back. Then, as the crowd grew, he repeated his walk but this time he pushed a wheelbarrow in front of him as he walked over to the other side and back. Then, he boldly filled the wheelbarrow with bricks and guided it along the wire to the other side of the Falls and back. By this time, the crowd had grown very large and was cheering loudly for him. He then asked the crowd “How many of you believe I can take this wheelbarrow to the other side of the Falls and back s people is not limited to those who wear the label Christian, but is available to all. The religious or cultural label a person wears is not so important. Rather, what is important is the basis a person claims for that friendship with God. God is holy in every way. Sadly, we are not. As it is written:

carrying a person inside instead of these bricks?” The crowd cheered wildly. Then, he asked the crowd “Who is willing to get into the wheelbarrow?” The crowd became silent. Their belief lacked 100% confidence. To place our faith in Jesus Christ means to get into the wheelbarrow with Him, making ourselves completely dependent upon Him. Our sole basis for having our sins forgiven and for entering a close relationship with God is Jesus’ death on our behalf.

Therefore, if you are serious about becoming a part of the most important resource your nation has, I challenge you to come to Him. Jesus invites us:

If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”²⁷

As we come to Jesus and drink, He will satisfy us and this will spill over to others in our societies, causing them to come to Jesus and drink. As others around us drink, the greatest treasure our nation has will grow and grow.

For this reason, I can invite you to come to Jesus and drink. Let me encourage you to embrace the Master Designer of our world and your life. I encourage you to invite Jesus into your life by praying to God:

Holy God, please forgive me for sinning against You. Thank You for loving me enough that You came to this earth as Jesus and died on my behalf so that I could have real life with You. I ask You to come into my life to give me unbroken friendship with You forever. I ask You to change me and, with me, the world. Thank You. Amen.

Not only will this start you on the most exciting journey known to mankind, but it is the most significant thing each of us can do to increase our nation’s most important treasure.

References

NOTE: All Bible references are from the New International Version unless otherwise indicated.

1. James Strong, “A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament”, p. 78, in The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (New York: Abingdon, 1890).
2. Bible, Daniel 2:21.
3. Ibid., Romans 13:1‑7.
4. Bible, New American Standard Version (NASV), I Timothy 2:1‑2.
5. Bible, Isaiah 59:1‑2.
6. Bible, Philippians 4:13, paraphrased.
7. Bible, Ephesians 1:18‑20.
8. Ibid., James 4:2.
9. Ibid., Ezekiel 22:29‑31.
10. Bible, NASV, Genesis 18:26.
11. Bible, II Chronicles 7:14.
12. Ibid., Matthew 5:13.
13. Ibid., Malachi 3:10‑12.
14. , Ezra 6:7,9-10.
15. Ibid., Matthew 7:16,20.
16. Ibid., I Corinthians 3:3.
17. Ibid., Titus 1:16.
18. Bible, NASV, John 7:38.
19. Bible, Romans 3:10,12,23.
20. Ibid., John 10:30.
21. Ibid., John 14:9.
22. Ibid., Luke 19:10.
23. Ibid., Matthew 20:28.
24. Ibid., John 14:6.
25. Ibid., Matthew 10:40.
26. Mohandas K. Gandhi, in The Modern Review, October 1941, quoted in Mohandas K. Gandhi (Anand T. Hingorani, ed.), The Message of Jesus Christ (Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan,             1971), p. 111.
27. Bible, NASV, John 7:37‑38.

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The reality is that the objective of the Statesman is to achieve well-being for the people in an imperfect world. As we seek to be just and fair leaders, it is essential that we are realistic about what we are dealing with. We need this realism in our understanding and expectations. It is essential to understand the obstacle that the fallen nature of mankind will play in achieving this well-being for our people. This fallen nature will impact three groups essential in achieving our goals as Statesmen:

1. Those we serve.
2. Those we serve with.
3. Ourselves

What is this fallen nature and how does it impact the governing process? It is expressed quite bluntly, in God’s Words:

There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one (Romans 3:10-12).

Our Creator, out of His love, has given us the freedom to choose to obey His clear instructions, or not, in our decisions. All too often, we choose to follow our own desires in defiance of His way. Let us consider how this impacts the three parties:

1. Those we serve. Although we are called to serve the people, because of their fallen nature, we cannot rely upon their ability to express to us what they really need. This is where the analogy of shepherding becomes relevant. As their shepherds, we must recognize their needs and be sensitive to them, even if the sheep are unable to properly identify those needs. As good shepherds, we must listen to the sheep carefully. However, we must also listen for what their fallen nature prevents them from being able to express.
2. Those we serve with. Recalling what it means to be a Statesman, one of the many voices has reminded us:

A politician thinks of the next election, a statesman of the next generation. A politician looks for the success of his party; a statesman for that of his country. The statesman wishes to steer, while the politician is satisfied to drift (James Freeman Clarke).

The reality is that the vast majority of those involved in the governing process will not likely be Statesmen. They will be, as this critique describes: politicians. And yet, democratic governance makes us dependent upon their cooperation. Realistically, they will tend to be driven by self-promoting motivations. Realizing that every human has two natures – one desiring to do good, and the other driven for personal advancement – we must appeal to the good that is available within these imperfect humans. We must persuade and help them to do the right thing.

3. Ourselves. Our most formidable enemy is the fallen nature within ourselves. We also have a selfish nature that we must continually overcome. Although we are committed to doing good, our own fallen nature can blind us to what the sheep really need and what we should be working to achieve. As one servant of God expressed:

For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. So I discover this principle: When I want to do what is good, evil is with me (Romans 7:15-21).

This servant of God went even further in describing the battle within:

But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body (Romans 7:23).

We must be alert every moment to the battle going on inside us – within our minds. God has given us the promise of victory over our fallen nature:

 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires (2 Peter 1:3-4). 

Furthermore, God has instructed us with His principles for victory over our fallen nature that would interfere with making the decisions appropriate for a Statesman:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:19-20).

And then, putting to death each deed of our fallen nature must be done with the help of God’s Holy Spirit:

So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live (Romans 8:12-13).

God has given us His Holy Spirit to live within us to guide us but also to give us the power to overcome the temptation to give in to our fallen nature. His Holy Spirit shows us when we are about to stumble, i.e., give in to our fallen nature. And His Holy Spirit gives us the power to put to death one fruit at a time of our fallen nature. Victory is assuredly available, but we can never rest in victory. Victory must involve a continuous response to our fallen nature’s active effort to pull us into its seductive web.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Let us experience this victory. Let us live in the victory our Maker provides for us, allowing us to be the Statesman He intends us to be.

The post The Fallen Nature of Mankind as It Impacts the Statesman appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

Can we be a Statesman without depending upon God? I believe that potentially we can. However, I believe that it is absolutely necessary for us to have the values, character qualities that we as humans can best receive by depending upon God for these qualities.

How do we move from one kind of leader to the other?

POLITICIAN  ───>  STATESMAN

Do we need the help of God?

Statesmen supported by their faith in God.

I am not saying that every acknowledged Statesman lived his life in dependence upon God. However, I am firmly convinced that the one who desires to become a Statesman can best achieve that goal by living in dependence upon God and in obedience to Him. Nineteenth Century United Kingdom political figure William Gladstone, who served as Prime Minister on four different occasions, shared with us his insights:

During the many years in the Cabinet I was brought in contact with some sixty master minds, and not more than perhaps three or four of whom were in sympathy with the skeptical movements of the day.

His observation was that, although it may seem fashionable to express independence from God, the outstanding public servants were men of faith in God.

An interesting case study is William Wilberforce. As he looked back on his career and motivation, he said: “The first years I was in Parliament, I did nothing ─ nothing that is to any purpose. My own distinction was my darling object.” These are the words of a Politician. He summarized his changed direction with these words: “God Almighty has set before me two great objects — the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.” This is the Statesman speaking!

Let us consider two examples of God working in the hearts of public officials to make them better shepherds. Both governed as President of their nation two times with an interruption of years in between. In each case, the first period of governing was without God and the second was with God. The late Mathieu Kérékou governed Benin from 1972 to 1991 as a Marxist. With the close of the Cold War and the opening up of his country to free elections, he was soundly defeated in the first election and removed from office. In the process, God began to work in his life. He then withdrew from the public eye and focused his life on getting to know God. When the next elections were held in his country, he had so changed that he was elected by popular acclaim to head the nation again. One member of his cabinet told me that there was no comparison between the way he governed during this later period and the way he governed before. I am convinced that as a result of submitting his life to God as his shepherd, he became more of a shepherd himself. This man governed more compassionately as God became the ruler in his personal life.

Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria governed as Head of State during two periods, from 1976-79 as a military ruler and 1999-2007 as democratically-elected President. His earlier regime was reputed to be extremely corrupt. The second time, as President, his efforts to remove corruption from his country astounded friends and critics alike. What was the difference in his life between his two terms in office? Previous to his return to office, he was imprisoned on charges that were politically motivated. In the process, he submitted his life to God as his Lord. Subsequently, he said “Without Jesus, as President I can do nothing. With Him, all things.” It appears that God humbled him in order to remake him into God’s instrument in the nation. He described his years in prison as “God’s way of slowing me down to hear His message and His words.”

I am not in a position at this point to conclude that either of these leaders became a Statesman as we are defining. However, I am fully convinced that as they submitted their lives to God, they displayed more statesmanlike behavior using some of the measuring sticks. Furthermore, these two cases provide as close to a control study as possible for the role of faith in God in producing statesmanlike behavior. In both cases, we can compare the leadership of specific individuals without and with faith. Obviously, this does not rule out any other factors that may have changed as well. However, this provides us with a strong argument for faith and gives us much to reflect upon.

Thus, when we ask the question “Can we be a Statesman without the help of God?”, I am convinced the answer is “No.” We may not recognize and express our dependence upon God, but, in fact, we are. He has more at stake than we do in providing the leadership He intends for those He loves so much. Hence, I believe He will occasion supernaturally intervene to cause us to provide the proper leadership even when we are not inclined and in a way that goes against our normal behaviour. Once we recognize this, I believe we will realize we should acknowledge our need for Him and do everything we can to cooperate with Him.

…for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from Him, and we exist for Him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through Him, and we exist through Him. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, who gave Himself—a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:3-6)

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and no one is like Me. I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: My plan will take place, and I will do all My will. (Isaiah 46:9-10)

God is King of all the earth. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the peoples have assembled with the people of the God of Abraham. For the leaders of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. (Psalm 47:7-9)

The post Do We Need God to Be a Statesman? appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

We recently made the argument that our Lord has designed and set up His creation in such a way that those who operate within His creation need His instruction in order to be able to do so effectively. Of immediate interest to us is the application of this truth to the institution of Government.

God warns humanity, beginning with the decision-makers:

Woe to those who go to great lengths to hide their plans from the LORD. They do their works in darkness, and say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?” You have turned things around, as if the potter were the same as the clay. How can what is made say about its maker, “He didn’t make me”? How can what is formed say about the one who formed it, “He doesn’t understand what he’s doing”? (Isaiah 29:15-16)

and–

Woe to the rebellious children! This is the LORD’s declaration. They carry out a plan, but not Mine. (Isaiah 30:1)

We are warned that we cannot intuit or speculate on His plans when Almighty God Himself says:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the LORD’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Clearly, He expects us to be dependent upon Him for His wisdom and guidance. He makes clear that He will not abandon us to navigate His creation by ourselves. God makes the powerful promise to us:

I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with My eye on you, I will give counsel. (Psalm 32:8)

God speaks to us clearly if we will listen:

For God speaks time and again, but a person may not notice it. (Job 33:14)

By Myself I have sworn; Truth has gone from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: (Isaiah 45:23)

We must make sure that we listen. He speaks to us in a quiet voice directly as we listen for His voice. Jesus illustrated this as He used the analogy of Himself as the shepherd and us as His sheep:

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. (John 10:27)

The sheep are special in that they listen intently for His voice and when He speaks, they are able to hear it. Let us also remember that our ability to hear His voice is dependent upon our willingness to obey Him without reservation.

And He speaks to us through His Word. The psalmist, under God’s inspiration, reminds us several times in Psalm 119 alone:

How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the LORD’s instruction! Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart. (Psalm 119:1-2)

Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from Your instruction. I am a stranger on earth; do not hide Your commands from me. (Psalm 119:18-19)

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105)

Finally, we are admonished to remember to recognize our need for His wisdom and to ask Him for it:

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

Let us pause for a moment to reflect on the application to our lives and actions.

If we were to ask our Creator and Lord with every decision we make what He would have us to do, who would be operating through our life? Clearly, it would be our Master. This would allow us to say as President Lincoln said:

In the very responsible position in which I happen to be placed, being a humble instrument in the hands of our Heavenly Father, as I am.

and–

I hold myself in my present position and with the authority vested in me as an instrument of Providence.

Literally, we would be able to say with Lincoln that we are His instrument in His hands.

This is the insight that I am convinced produced a Statesman that we can all look to today.

PERSONALIZING: Is this a step we are willing to take?

The post The Statesman Recognizes the Need to Operate in Accord with the Instructions of the Creator-Designer – Part 2 appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

a. Compassion toward the people, especially the most disadvantaged

King Solomon provides a good example. Early in his reign when he clearly had the heart of a statesman, he said to His Creator (paraphrasing and transposing from the third person to the first):

I will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper. I will have pity on the poor and helpless and save the lives of the poor. I will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious in my sight. (Psalms 72:12-14)

What is especially captivating is Solomon’s attitude toward the people he was governing ─ for their lives are precious in my sight. What an amazing attitude this is for any governing official ─ to view the lives of the powerless, those without a voice, those taken advantage of by the more powerful in society, those who cannot help him/her politically ─ as precious in his/her sight. Truly, exercising the authority invested in office on behalf of these people is to be an instrument of Almighty God.

We gain additional insight by studying his preceding words:

God, give Your justice to me the king and Your righteousness to me. I will judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted ones with justice… May I vindicate the afflicted among the people, help the poor, and crush the oppressor. (Psalms 72:1-2,4)

Solomon expressed a concern of his heart for those who are weak and generally taken advantage of and ignored by those in Government. Too often, the powerless have come to view Government as an ‘oppressor’. Not only did Solomon not want to be an oppressor, but he wanted to use his authority to aggressively prevent any other oppression ─ in his words to “crush the oppressor”.

In looking at the lives of statesmen, there is willingness to listen to the hearts of the constituents. I have always been amazed at Abraham Lincoln’s “open door” policy to his office, whereby each morning, he allowed people to meet him without an appointment. Winston Churchill visited people whose homes were destroyed by the German rockets. Both leaders stayed close to the people. They were not afraid to allow people to get in the way of “more important affairs of State”. After all, they understood that “people” are the purpose of the State.

b. The attitude of a shepherd in meeting the needs of the sheep

God paints the picture of the head of the nation as a shepherd. God uses the analogy of the shepherd to describe the tender care that governing officials must have for the people.

For example–

“God…who says to Cyrus: My shepherd, he will fulfill all My pleasure” (Isaiah 44:24,28). Cyrus II was King of Persia 559-530 B.C. As in the case of Cyrus, the determination as shepherd has nothing to do with what the official thinks of God. In the extended passage, God said twice of Cyrus: “though you do not know Me” (Isaiah 45:5).

Hence, ‘shepherd’ is an overview of the job description of the work God expects of the Government official. In the case of King David, God tells us that:

He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds; He brought him from tending ewes to be shepherd over His people…. He shepherded them with a pure heart and guided them with his skillful hands. (Psalms 78:70-72)

The shepherd is responsible for the welfare of the sheep and for anticipating and overcoming the threats to the sheep. There are two implications:

1. Relatively speaking, the sheep are ignorant of the threats to their safety and limited in their ability to meet their own needs. The sheep are dependent upon the shepherd and his/her diligence for their safety. It is the needs of the sheep that drive every action of the shepherd. Realistically, it is the sheep who are the masters and the shepherds who are the servants.
2. Furthermore, the shepherd has responsibility for all of the sheep, not just the ones who may have chosen this individual as shepherd. Once the shepherd is placed in responsibility for the flock, he/she does not have the privilege of distinguishing the level of care provided for different sheep within the flock. The shepherd may not be selective in which sheep he/she cares for. In fact, the responsible shepherd must often give more attention to serve the most difficult and the neediest sheep.

It was against the backdrop of this, that I learned that an incumbent presidential candidate warned voters from a group resisting his leadership during the campaign “If you do not vote for me, do not expect that you will get anything from me.” The incumbent had not learned the lesson of his being a shepherd to his flock. Fortunately, upon victory, he relented from that threat.

Nelson Mandela, in his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, correctly uses the analogy of shepherding to describe the governing process.

God warns against the evil or irresponsible shepherds:

This is what the Lord GOD says to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds …, who have been feeding themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed their flock? (Ezekiel 34:2)

God has high standards for those who shepherd on His behalf. He has little tolerance for those mistreat our Master’s sheep.

God’s Admonition to Shepherds through His servant:

I exhort the elders among you: shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God’s will; not for the money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

The analogy is with God as the Chief Shepherd and ourselves as His under-shepherds. As such, we certainly need His help in being the shepherds He intends us to be. Returning to an earlier discussion, Psalms 23 begins with the words “The Lord is my shepherd.” I submit to you that we must allow Him to be our shepherd before we can be His shepherd in the lives of the sheep He has entrusted us with.

The post Characteristics of a Statesman: The statesman displays the heart of a shepherd appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.