Dans l’histoire des hommes imparfaits en tant que dirigeants, un homme se démarque : le roi David de l’ancien Israël, qui a gouverné pendant 40 ans. Notre Créateur l’a décrit ainsi :

J’ai trouvé David, mon serviteur, je l’ai oint… et je le ferai… le plus grand des rois de la terre (Psaumes 89:20, 27).

J’ai trouvé David…, un homme fidèle à moi, qui exécutera toute ma volonté. (Actes 13:22).

[Le roi] David régna…, administrant la justice et la droiture à tout son peuple (2 Samuel 8:15 ; 1 Chroniques 18:14).

Au cours de ses 40 années de tentatives pour gouverner en tant qu’instrument de notre Créateur, trébuchant souvent à cause de sa faiblesse humaine, il a visualisé ce que serait le dirigeant idéal, en se basant sur ce qu’il avait appris, tout en intégrant cela à sa compréhension de ce à quoi ressemblerait le règne à venir de Jésus. Nous en apprenons davantage sur cette image composite à travers ses aspirations pour son fils Salomon qui lui succéderait sur le trône. Cela est exprimé dans le Psaume 72 comme une prière pour Salomon. En vérité, cela représente la compréhension de la part d’un homme d’État de ce à quoi ressemblerait un autre homme d’État. Explorons certaines de ces idées à partir de ce passage. Il commence ainsi :

Dieu, donne au roi ta justice, et au fils du roi ta droiture (Psaume 72:1).

Le roi David exprime la nécessité de la droiture et de la justice, la justice découlant vraisemblablement d’un comportement juste étant la base pour être un bon dirigeant – un homme d’État. Et la justice qui doit servir de base n’est pas simplement la justice humaine, mais la justice de Dieu fournie par sa purification, par Jésus. Ensuite, sur la base de cette justice, nous devons nous efforcer d’obtenir la justice par nos actions.

Le roi David réfléchit à ce à quoi ressemblera la société qui en résultera :

Que les justes fleurissent pendant ses jours et que la prospérité abonde… (Psaume 72:7).

Le roi David soutient ici que l’homme d’État, par ses politiques et ses actions, fera prospérer les personnes honorables – les cœurs purs – et non pas seulement les corrompus et les puissants, comme cela semble trop souvent être le cas. Et que la prospérité abondera grâce à la prospérité des membres de la société au bon cœur.

En outre, le roi David poursuit :

Que tous les rois se prosternent devant lui (Psaume 72:11).

Apparemment, ce respect pour l’homme d’État viendrait d’autres dirigeants nationaux par respect pour ses réalisations au service de son peuple. Encore une fois, je crois que le roi David visualise le règne de Salomon par rapport à une compréhension du règne à venir de Jésus et prie pour que Salomon règne comme Jésus le fera, en se basant sur sa propre compréhension partielle du règne à venir de Jésus.

Le roi David éclaire ensuite ce qu’il pense être certaines des motivations de l’homme d’État :

Car il délivrera le pauvre qui crie, et l’affligé qui n’a personne pour lui venir en aide (Psaume 72:12).

L’attitude du cœur comprend le sauvetage des pauvres et des affligés. À quoi ressemblera le sauvetage des pauvres ? Nous pouvons nous attendre à ce que cela aille bien au-delà des programmes d’aide sociale qui pourraient créer une dépendance à l’égard du gouvernement et qui pourraient à leur tour aider le dirigeant à rester en poste. Apparemment, avec l’aide de la sagesse de Dieu, cela entraînera des politiques qui libéreront vraiment les pauvres et les prisonniers.

Le roi David continue, nous donnant un aperçu plus approfondi :

Il aura pitié des pauvres et des sans défense et sauvera la vie des pauvres (Psaume 72:13).

« Avoir pitié du pauvre » évoque une compassion profonde et sincère qui poussera l’homme d’État à agir pour « sauver la vie des pauvres », indiquant une action forte en leur faveur. Le roi David va plus loin :

Il les rachètera de l’oppression et de la violence, car leur vie est précieuse à ses yeux (Psaume 72:14).

Le terme « racheter » utilisé ici signifie « délivrer, acheter ou rançonner, comme libérer une personne de la servitude contre paiement ». En appliquant cela à ceux qui sont pris au piège de l’oppression et de la violence, l’implication ici est que les pauvres ne souffrent pas simplement de la pauvreté, mais qu’ils sont encore plus exploités par les plus puissants en raison de leur impuissance. Par conséquent, cette déclaration implique également d’éliminer activement la menace de violence à leur encontre, car ils peuvent être incapables de le faire par eux-mêmes.

Prendre soin de la vie des pauvres et des opprimés ne doit pas être considéré comme un obstacle à la réalisation de ses grands rêves de développement de la nation. Au contraire, la vie des pauvres et des sans-pouvoirs doit être considérée comme aussi précieuse pour la nation que celle des riches et des puissants. En fait, ils doivent également être reconnus comme créés à l’image de Dieu, avec le potentiel incroyable que cela offre, et doivent être libérés pour réaliser tout ce que cela implique. Ils doivent vivre avec espoir et rêver d’y parvenir. L’implication claire ici est que ceux qui étaient autrefois considérés comme faibles et un fardeau peuvent devenir un atout solide pour la nation. D’où la motivation de ces efforts :

Car leur vie est précieuse à ses yeux (Psaume 72:14).

Du point de vue du roi David, c’est l’attitude de cœur qui anime l’homme d’État – considérer la vie de ceux qu’il sert comme précieuse et précieuse.

Tout cela nous amène à un élément souvent négligé de l’efficacité de l’homme d’État :

Que la prière soit offerte pour lui [le dirigeant, l’homme d’État] continuellement, et qu’il soit béni tout au long du jour. (Psaume 72:15).

Cela reflète le partenariat entre le peuple gouverné et le dirigeant – le gouverné faisant continuellement appel à notre Créateur pour qu’il donne des conseils, de la sagesse et de la faveur au bon dirigeant alors qu’il doit agir face à des défis qui dépassent ses capacités au service du peuple.

Cela conduit à l’accomplissement envisagé par le roi David, exprimé :

Que le blé soit abondant dans le pays… Que les gens prospèrent dans les villes comme l’herbe des champs (Psaume 72:16).

Le résultat de ce type de leadership est censé être associé à la prospérité et à l’abondance – littéralement, à l’épanouissement du peuple.

Et les conséquences pour ce dirigeant :

Que son nom subsiste à jamais ; aussi longtemps que le soleil brille, que sa renommée augmente (Psaume 72:17).

Qu’on se souvienne de lui comme d’un grand et honorable dirigeant, littéralement, d’un homme d’État. Le roi David avait expliqué comment il comprenait que son fils Salomon pouvait être considéré comme un homme d’État.

Autre point important :

Que toutes les nations soient bénies par lui et le proclament bienheureux (Psaume 72:17).

On peut s’attendre à ce que sa bonne gouvernance contribue au bien-être non seulement de la nation du dirigeant, mais aussi des nations du monde entier. On peut s’attendre à ce que les actions du véritable homme d’État contribuent en fin de compte à l’amélioration de toute l’humanité, comme nous le voyons chez des hommes d’État plus récents : William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, George C. Marshall, Nelson Mandela.

Pour résumer, le roi David, l’un des plus grands hommes d’État de tous les temps, en se basant sur ce que notre Créateur lui avait enseigné sur la manière de gouverner à partir de ses propres succès et échecs, et sur sa connaissance limitée de ce que serait le règne futur de Jésus, a partagé ces perspectives sur ce qu’un homme d’État devrait faire dans son cœur et dans ses actions.

APPLICATION POUR L’HOMME D’ÉTAT

1. Puis-je vraiment me considérer comme l’instrument de Dieu dans la vie de ceux dont je suis responsable, comme le roi David a clairement compris que nous devons l’être ?
2. Dans mon désir d’être le type de leader que le roi David a décrit, que Dieu voudrait-il que je fasse ?
3. Par exemple, lorsque j’adopte l’attitude de cœur envers les pauvres et les défavorisés que le roi David a préconisée – « ils sont précieux à ses yeux » – quelles mesures dois-je prendre ?

The post Les conseils d’un homme d’État pour devenir un homme d’État appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

In the history of imperfect humans as leaders, one stands out: King David of ancient Israel, who governed for 40 years. Our Creator described him:

I have found David My servant; I have anointed him …. I will also make him … greatest of the kings of the earth (Psalm 89:20, 27).

I have found David …, a man loyal to Me, who will carry out all My will. (Acts 13:22).

[King] David reigned …, administering justice and righteousness for all his people (2 Samuel 8:15; 1 Chronicles 18:14).

During his 40 years of attempting to govern as our Creator’s instrument, often stumbling due to his human weakness, he visualized what the ideal ruler would be like, based upon what he had learned, at the same time integrating this with his understanding of what Jesus’ coming reign would look like. We learn about this composite picture through his aspirations for his son Solomon who would follow him on the throne. This is expressed in Psalm 72 as a prayer for Solomon. Truly, this represents the understanding on the part of one Statesman of what another Statesman would look like. Let us explore some of these insights from this passage. He begins:

God, give Your justice to the king and Your righteousness to the king’s son. (Psalm 72:1).

King David is expressing the need for righteousness and justice, presumably with justice flowing from righteous behavior as foundational to being a good leader – a Statesman. And the righteousness that must serve as the basis is not merely human righteousness, but the righteousness of God provided by His cleansing, through Jesus. Then, based upon that righteousness, we must strive for justice by our actions.

King David reflects on what the resulting society will look like:

May the righteous flourish in his days and prosperity abound … (Psalm72:7).

King David is here arguing that the Statesman would, through his policies and actions, cause the honorable people – the pure-hearted – to thrive, not merely the corrupt and the powerful, as too often seems to be the case. And that prosperity would abound as a result of the good-hearted members of society thriving.

As a further result, King David proceeds:

Let all kings bow down to him (Psalm 72:11).

Seemingly, this respect for the Statesman would come from other national leaders out of respect for his achievements in serving his people. Again, I believe King David is visualizing Solomon’s reign against an understanding of Jesus’ coming reign and praying that Solomon will reign as Jesus will, based on his own partial understanding of Jesus’ coming reign.

King David then illuminates what he believes will be some of the motivations for the Statesman:

For he will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper (Psalm 72:12).

The heart attitude includes rescuing the poor and the afflicted. What will rescuing the poor look like? We can expect this to go far beyond welfare programs that might create a dependence upon government and may in turn help the leader remain in office. Seemingly, with the help of God’s wisdom, it will entail policies that will truly set the poor and entrapped free.

King David continues, giving us further insight:

He will have pity on the poor and helpless and save the lives of the poor (Psalm 72:13).

“Pity on the poor” connotes deep, heartfelt compassion that will drive the Statesman to act to “save the lives of the poor”, indicating taking strong action on their behalf. King David goes deeper:

He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious in his sight (Psalm 72:14).

Redeem, as used here, means “To deliver, to purchase, or to ransom, such as to free a person from bondage by payment.” Applying this to those entrapped in oppression and violence, the implication here is that the poor do not simply suffer from poverty but that they are further taken advantage of by the more powerful due to their helplessness. Hence, this statement also implies actively removing the threat of violence against them, as they may be unable to do this for themselves.

Caring for the lives of the poor and oppressed is not to be viewed as a hindrance to achieving one’s grand dreams for the development of the nation. Rather, the lives of the poor and the powerless are to be viewed as just as valuable to the nation as those of the rich and powerful. In fact, they are also to be recognized as created in the image of God, with the amazing potential this offers, and need to be set free to achieve all this entails. They need to live with hope and dream of achieving this. The clear implication here is that those once considered weak and a drain can be expected to become a strong asset to the nation. Hence the motivation for these efforts:

For their lives are precious in his sight (Psalm 72:14).

From King David’s point of view, this is the heart attitude that drives the Statesman – viewing the lives of those served as precious and valuable.

All this leads to an often overlooked component in the effectiveness of the Statesman:

May prayer be offered for him [the leader, the Statesman] continually, and may he be blessed all day long. (Psalm 72:15).

This reflects the partnership between the people governed and the leader – the governed continually appealing to our Creator to give guidance, wisdom, and favor to the good leader as he must act in the face of challenges beyond his ability in service to the people.

This leads to the accomplishment envisioned by King David, expressed:

May there be plenty of grain in the land… May people flourish in the cities like the grass of the field (Psalm 72:16).

The result of this kind of leadership is expected to be associated with prosperity and abundance – literally, the people flourishing.

And the consequences for this leader:

May his name endure forever; as long as the sun shines, may his fame increase (Psalm 72:17).

May he be remembered as a great and honorable leader, literally, a Statesman. King David had laid out how he understood his son Solomon could be remembered as a Statesman.

Of further significance:

May all nations be blessed by him and call him blessed (Psalm 72:17).

His good governance can be expected to contribute to well-being not only in the leader’s own nation, but in nations throughout the world. The actions of the true Statesman can be expected to ultimately contribute to the betterment of all humanity, as we see resulting from more recent Statesmen: William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, George C. Marshall, Nelson Mandela.

To summarize, King David, one of the great Statesmen of all time, based upon what our Creator had taught him about governing from his own successes and failures, and his limited knowledge of what Jesus’ future reign would be like, shared these perspectives on what a Statesman would do in heart and action.

APPLICATION FOR THE STATESMAN

1. Can I truly see myself as God’s instrument in the lives of those for whom I am responsible, as King David clearly understood we must be?
2. In my desire to be the kind of leader King David described, what would God have me to do?
3. For example, when I embrace the heart attitude toward the poor and disadvantaged that King David advocated – “they are precious in his sight” – what steps must I take?

The post A Statesman’s Insights for Becoming a Statesman appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

Commonly, an incoming Government greets the population with the assurance “One of our highest priorities is to eliminate corruption.” Paradoxically, that same assurance was made by the previous administration, and the one before that. Why then does this problem exist?

If there is one issue expressed by the voices of the public, it is that those charged with stewardship over the Government’s resources for administering well-being for the people  must prevent those resources from being siphoned off for personal benefit. Certainly this is a critical issue. Various studies project that corruption consumes a significant percentage of the GDP and a significant percentage of the federal budget. Suffice it to say that corruption provides a significant obstacle for those honourable officials attempting to employ public resources for good for the people. We must recognize that corruption within the Government a would-be Statesman heads will prevent that would-be Statesman from achieving important elements of the good he intended.

But the total impact goes beyond the financial well-being of the citizens. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has concluded: “In a nutshell, corruption increases inequality, decreases popular accountability and political responsiveness, and thus produces rising frustration and hardship among citizens, who are then more likely to accept (or even demand) hard-handed and illiberal tactics.” Corruption deprives the people of the quality of life that God intended to be delivered through Government as His instrument:

…that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity (1 Timothy 2:2).

Realistically, we must take seriously the potential for evil in the human heart and find a way to deal with it. As God reminds us in His instructions:

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

The human heart has the capacity to be so devious that it could take multiple investigators and lengthy times to bring to justice the corrupt behaviour of a single person. This is quickly obvious as being impractical in solving the issue of corruption. Hence, we cannot rely on the legal-judicial system. It is within this reality that the Statesman must provide leadership. Let us look at the issue of corruption through the eyes of one king, King David, who, in spite of his own failings, confronted corruption. King David said:

The fool says in his heart, “God does not exist.” They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good….All have turned away; all alike have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one (Psalm 14:1-3).

Realistically, corruption is within the nature of mankind and is facilitated by a mindset of rejection of our Creator’s desired role in the life of each member of His creation. It is a part of our nature as human beings to have a selfish nature, a nature that must be held in check. It must be recognized and dealt with. In a lengthy conversation King David had with the ultimate King under whom he served, he elaborated:

I will pay attention to the way of integrity… I will live with a heart of integrity in my house. I will not set anything worthless before my eyes. I hate the practice of transgression; it will not cling to me. A devious heart will be far from me; I will not be involved with evil…. My eyes favor the faithful of the land so that they may sit down with me. The one who follows the way of integrity may serve me. No one who acts deceitfully will live in my palace; no one who tells lies will remain in my presence. Every morning I will … eliminate all evildoers (Psalm 101:2-8).

King David made clear that he would make dealing with corruption a priority:

I will pay attention to the way of integrity…

Then, we recognize four components in King David’s response to corruption. First, King David committed himself to fighting corruption in his own life, including:

I will live with a heart of integrity in my house. I will not set anything worthless before my eyes. I hate the practice of transgression; it will not cling to me. A devious heart will be far from me; I will not be involved with evil….

King David had corruption in his own life. The same steps he employed in dealing with and overcoming corruption are even more clearly available to us today as we acknowledge that Jesus’ died for our sins as well as to help us deal with them specifically and individually:

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).

…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 8:13).

We must avail ourselves of God’s presence within our lives to convict us of corruption and then His power available to us to overcome that corruption within. But notice our loving Father’s purpose:

…that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children (Romans 8:21).

And this is God’s resource for each of us and everyone who administers with us.

The second thing King David did was surround himself with like-minded individuals who dealt with their own corruption and prevented it from influencing their administrative decisions. Notice the type of co-workers he chose to administer with him – those who shared his attitude toward corruption:

My eyes favor the faithful of the land so that they may sit down with me. The one who follows the way of integrity may serve me. No one who acts deceitfully will live in my palace; no one who tells lies will remain in my presence (Psalm 101:6-7).

Third, King David worked to eliminate the culture of corruption. Following the words above, King David’s attitude is described:

Every morning I will … eliminate all evildoers (Psalm 101:8).

King David states how frequently and with what priority he takes the steps to overcome corruption, using the words: “Every morning”. This signifies not only the frequency but the priority.

Fourth, what is clear here is his active, ongoing effort to help his co-administrators to fight corruption within their lives. Knowing the way our corrupt nature continually seeks to assert its ugly head, reinforcement of commitment to overcome is essential. He recognizes, and we must as well, that even the best of humans have a corrupt nature that they must overcome in order to avoid corruption.

The Statesman must lead by clear example and clear communication and by continual action. There are several clear applications for the Statesman:

1. Continually overcoming the corrupt nature within himself.
2. Carefully examining the life and character of everyone who would co-administer with him to ensure they have the capacity to handle their responsibility to serve their people in the face of temptation they will face.
3. Actively fight every hint of corruption.
4. Provide reinforcement in the lives of those co-administering.

What steps can I take to overcome corruption within myself and everyone around me?

What can I do to help deal with the culture of corruption within my society?

In what ways will I need the help of God in fulfilling my promise to the people to eliminate the stealing from their lives due to corruption?

The reality is that it is this effort that could contribute to the leader being viewed as a Statesman. The failure to effectively deal with corruption can be expected to prevent one from fulfilling the greatest of visions.

The post The Statesman Realistically Confronts the Issue of Corruption appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

Every governing official faces frustration over challenges in achieving goals. This is especially significant for the leader committed to doing good, which we often refer to as a Statesman. Such a leader is generally operating contrary to those surrounding in the governing process, who may be described as politicians according to one analyst:

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 Statesman will frequently be thwarted by the politicians, who tend to pursue other goals. The danger is if the leader should become so discouraged as to give up on the goals of good for the people. The question becomes how to face those obstacles with hope. King David, in the 10^th century B.C., provides a thought-provoking example and wise advice based on his own experience. He does this in Psalm 143 from the Bible:

¹ Lord, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness listen to my plea, and in Your righteousness answer me. ² Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous in Your sight. ³ For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making me live in darkness like those long dead. ⁴ My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay. ⁵ I remember the days of old; I meditate on all You have done; I reflect on the work of Your hands. ⁶ I spread out my hands to You; I am like parched land before You. ⁷ Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Don’t hide Your face from me, or I will be like those going down to the Pit. ⁸ Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You. Reveal to me the way I should go because I long for You. ⁹ Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I come to You for protection. ¹⁰ Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground. ¹¹ Because of Your name, O Lord, let me live. In Your righteousness deliver me from trouble, ¹² and in Your faithful love destroy my enemies. Wipe out all those who attack me, for I am Your servant.

Here, the king expresses his frustration to the King over the nations and over him, God Himself. The first thing the king does is admit his discouragement, and sense of inadequacy:

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making me live in darkness like those long dead (v. 3).

He does not describe his enemy, It could be any obstacle to achieving his goals. Then, he describes the impact upon his emotional well-being:

My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay (v. 4).

I am like parched land before You... my spirit fails (vv. 6,7).

We can feel his deep pain. In the midst of this, He pleads to God:

Lord, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness listen to my plea, and in Your righteousness answer me (v. 1).

The king comes to God, recognizing Him as the only hope. In his request, he appeals to God for help in the issues he faces based upon two things:

1. God’s faithfulness. The history of God’s meeting every need in the past and the confidence that God can be trusted to do this again.
2. God’s righteousness. God’s goodness and the confidence that God will do good for the king as demonstrated by God’s character.

The king’s confidence is based upon an understanding of God’s character as we learn to place our trust in Him. He expresses this:

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all You have done; I reflect on the work of Your hands (v. 5).

The king’s hope and His confidence is based on a proven record of God’s goodness and His meeting challenges and obstacles in the past. As the king focuses his request:

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground (v. 10).

He focuses on two elements:

1. Teach me to do Your will. There is the clear expression that the king wants to be obedient to God’s instructions, and that once he knows them, he will do them.
2. Lead me on level ground. Take away the obstacles, allowing me to move ahead without hindrance.

The king concludes with what is an essential recognition of why he is confident God will grant his request in overcoming the obstacles he faces:

I am Your servant (v. 12).

I am Your servant. The king acknowledges his heart to be God’s instrument in this physical world in which the king operates on his Master’s behalf. The king chose the word translated here as “servant”, but which in the original language means “the lowliest of slaves”. The king is placing himself in the lowest possible place before God, as a humble servant. A king does not normally act like the lowliest person in society. And yet, this is precisely the attitude that this king expressed toward Almighty God. By acknowledging who his real Master is, he is acknowledging that he is seeking only to do his Master’s will and that only his Master can help him accomplish it. His hope is based upon his recognition of his position before God.

We gain further insight through the example of another king, Uzziah, a descendant of King David who reigned three centuries later. We are told King Uzziah:

…did what was right in the Lord’s sight … He sought God throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear of God. During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success (2 Ch 26:4-5).

The key to King Uzziah’s effectiveness, and his hope, is that he feared God. What does it mean to fear God? It means to have a healthy respect for, a sense of awe, and submission to God. It means to hold the same view that King David had of himself before God, as the lowliest of slaves.

APPLICATION TO THE STATESMAN. Can we humble ourselves before God as the lowliest person in society? It is often thought that kings cannot do such a thing. However, the Statesman must be realistic about the challenges he faces and recognize that unless he has God’s help, it will not get done and he can have no hope.

For the God who calls you is faithful, and He can be trusted to make it happen (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

The post The Statesman’s Source of Hope appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

(What the Statesman Can Learn from King David’s Insights on Governing)

C’est lui qui a tellement péché que, même s’il avait des centaines d’épouses et de maîtresses, il désirait la femme d’un autre homme, le rendant responsable de sa mort? Ou est-il celui qui a écrit les plus belles chansons d’amour à notre Créateur invisible? Il est les deux.

Malgré ses défauts humains, qu’il partage avec toute l’humanité, on nous dit:

David régna sur tout Israël; il administrait le droit et rendait la justice pour tout son peuple.¹

En considérant ce roi, réfléchissons à ses conclusions à la fin de sa vie:

Voici les dernières paroles de David: Voici ce que déclare David, fils d’Isaï, cet homme haut placé, qui a reçu l’onction de la part du Dieu de Jacob, oui, voici les paroles qu’Israël se plaît à chanter. L’Esprit de l’Eternel s’est exprimé par moi, ses paroles sont sur ma langue. Le Dieu d’Israël a parlé, le rocher d’Israël m’a dit: Le juste gouverneur des hommes qui gouverne avec la crainte de Dieu est pareil au soleil qui se lève au matin et répand sa lumière dans un ciel sans nuage, et la verdure sort de terre par ses rayons et par la pluie.²

Je pense que chaque dirigeant devrait écouter les idées de David. Le roi David a terminé sa responsabilité de gouvernement qui a duré 40 ans. Avec ses fautes, il cherchait à marcher étroitement avec son Dieu et, ce faisant, pouvait peut-être discerner l’esprit de Dieu pour ceux qui gouvernaient plus que tout autre être humain. Par conséquent, sa conviction de ce que son maître exige de ceux qui servent dans cette position mérite d’être signalée:

Le juste gouverneur des hommes qui gouverne avec la crainte de Dieu.

David a compris les défis auxquels est confronté l’administrateur d’une nation, basé sur son expérience de tentative de marcher avec Dieu et de guider son peuple. Il a compris la séduction au pouvoir. Il comprit ce que céder à la séduction que procure le pouvoir. Il comprit ce que c’était de trahir la confiance que Dieu lui accordait et il comprit que la grâce de Dieu s’étendait à lui pour lui pardonner et lui redonner le désir originel de son cœur d’être le serviteur de Dieu.

David comprenait à quoi ressemblerait le choix parfait de Dieu pour un dirigeant. Je crois qu’il attendait avec impatience le jour où cela deviendrait une réalité grâce au règne éventuel de Jésus. En attendant, en attendant ce jour parfait, il comprit ce que Dieu a l’intention de faire pour nos nations aujourd’hui:

Le juste gouverneur des hommes qui gouverne avec la crainte de Dieu.

Dieu a conçu le gouvernement de telle manière que l’homme imparfait puisse administrer efficacement la justice à l’humanité imparfaite. David avait deux natures, comme chaque responsable et comme chaque être humain. Son échec est venu quand il n’a pas tenu sa nature égoïste en échec. Peut-être a-t-il commis l’erreur d’essayer de le faire lui-même. L’apôtre Paul nous dit clairement:

Ainsi donc, frères et sœurs, si nous avons une obligation, ce n’est pas celle de vivre à la manière de l’homme livré à lui-même. Car, si vous vivez à la manière de l’homme livré à lui-même, vous mourrez, mais si, par l’Esprit, vous faites mourir les actes mauvais que vous accomplissez dans votre corps, vous vivrez.³

Nous devons compter sur la puissance du Saint-Esprit pour vaincre notre nature égoïste. Nous avons même besoin du pouvoir de Dieu pour lui obéir. Cherchons chaque jour l’aide de Dieu pour devenir le dirigeant que Dieu a prévu pour notre peuple:

Le juste gouverneur des hommes qui gouverne avec la crainte de Dieu.

S’il vous plaît connaître mon désir de vous soutenir dans ce voyage. Vous et moi sommes tous deux des êtres humains qui trébuchons. Cependant, je suis confiant que notre Créateur et Seigneur désire que vous soyez:

Le juste gouverneur des hommes qui gouverne avec la crainte de Dieu.  

Références:

1. La Bible, 2 Samuel 8:15.
2. Ibid., 2 Samuel 23:1-4.
3. Ibid., Romains 8:12-13.

The post Ce que l’homme d’État peut apprendre des réflexions du roi David sur la gouvernance appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

It was King David who began Psalm 23 with words that should inspire every Statesman:

The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23:1).

He, as a ruler, was continually challenged with threats beyond his capacity. Here, he presents the image of himself as a vulnerable sheep dependent upon a protective shepherd to care for him and guide him – that shepherd being none other than God Himself. He skillfully uses that imagery throughout this short Psalm. This is a humbling analogy because the sheep represents a class of animals least able to protect themselves from their natural predators. The sheep’s only hope for survival is a responsible and caring shepherd who would even risk his life to protect the sheep. Here, even though he was such a powerful ruler, King David recognizes his own inability to face his challenges by himself.

What seems even more amazing is that he recognizes God not only as his shepherd, but as his personal shepherd. Notice in King David’s opening declaration the word “my”: The Lord is my shepherd.  Even though he is only one of the many kings in the world and millions of individuals, he recognizes that God is personally focused on meeting every one of his needs. King David describes God as able to give personal care as if he were the only person in all of creation.

Please meditate upon this expression by this king with me:

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.

² He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
³ He renews my life; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
⁴ Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

⁶ Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Let us briefly reflect on King David’s meditation.

There is nothing I lack.

To paraphrase, he is saying: My God, Your care for me is perfect and You are not failing me in any way. There is nothing more I need than what you are providing for me. As my personal Shepherd, I know You are meeting my needs in spite of the challenges around me.

This also acknowledges that my personal Shepherd has everything around my life perfectly under control. There is also the acknowledgement that God’s recognition of what I need is more accurate than my own interpretation.

Then, he begins to itemize specific areas:

² He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

God provides for me to be at continual peace, confident that no crisis can overwhelm me as I continually cling to the protective care of my Shepherd.

³ He renews my life; He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

He guides me to do the right and just thing. He does all these things for me with His reputation at stake. Because I declare myself to be dependent on Him, He promises to care for me, glorifying His name in the process. This gives me even more confidence than if only my personal well-being were at stake. I can do this because I trust Him in His perfect love for me.

⁴ Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.

No matter what challenge I face, I know You are by my side, caring for me. I know You are the active God intervening on my behalf, overcoming every challenge I face.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

Even the presence of adversaries and critics cannot steal my joy and my peace.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

King David expresses a confidence of God’s continual blessing upon him.

⁶ Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, < and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Application to the life of the Statesman. Am I able to envision Almighty God as my personal protector and caregiver as King David did? Can I envision all-powerful God as acting on my behalf as if I am the only person in the whole world? Am I able to have the same confidence of Almighty God’s care for my life and my governing? Do I need to place a higher priority on developing my dependence upon God as my Shepherd and drawing Him into each step and action that I take?

The post The Statesman’s Resource of a Personal Guide appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

I believe everyone is familiar with the encounter that David had with Goliath. David was a teenager. Goliath was a 9’9” tall, seasoned, powerful warrior. Everyone knows that David fearlessly felled this giant with a pebble employing a slingshot, perhaps the crudest of all instruments. However, I am convinced that there is more to the story. When David asked to be the one to fight the giant, he repeatedly referred to “the living God”. It is worth considering what David meant by his expression “the living God”. And I am convinced that it is this perspective that is the key to his miraculous success – one that we can appropriate for our own life and service.

The phrase “the living God” is a powerful expression. The addition of the word “living” implies active and involved. From this, we recognize that David viewed God as intimately involved in the lives of His children – involved in every aspect of our lives. We may interpret that David viewed God as hearing and responding, and with compassion and power in response to his needs. God demonstrated that David’s understanding and trust were not misplaced. There is no way we can explain in human terms what David accomplished during that encounter with Goliath.

We learn more about “the living God” and His interaction with fallen man as we watch David’s ensuing life unfold. David is an anomaly to us because when he was King, he allowed his view of God to lapse when he sinned with Bathsheba. And he paid dearly for that lapse. He was disciplined severely by his Lord for his disobedience, reminding him again that our Lord is “the living God”.

Even as David responded to God as he was confronted with his sin through God’s prophet, we see his view of our Master as the “living God”:

Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. Wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me…So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when You judge…Surely You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt. God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of Your salvation to me (Psalm 51:1-2,5-12).

When David pleaded with God “Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me”, he recognized that he could not take God’s presence on his behalf for granted. He understood the need for God’s forgiveness and the fact that he could not automatically expect this as a part of His being “the living God” – and certainly not as a result of our Lord being an object of worship. When David pleaded “God, create in me a clean heart”, the word he chose for “create” means not to improve something blemished or imperfect but rather to “create out of nothing”, recognizing that God would have to produce something for which there was not the raw material or a starting point within David’s life. There is nothing David could provide out of which God could create a clean heart. This would have to be a work of God alone.

Possibly, Psalm 23 is one of the tenderest songs that David wrote to God, written years after David’s sin with Bathsheba. In it, David expressed “He restores my soul” (23:3). Again, we see the view of “the living God”.

Listen to David’s heart expressed years after sinning with Bathsheba:

The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the LORD; for He laid its foundation on the seas and established it on the rivers…. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates! Rise up, ancient doors! Then the King of glory will come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:1-2,8-10)

Here, we see David expressing an intimate friendship, one that would reflect that God is “the living God”. Listen to the words of David later in his life:

A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in his way. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned or his children begging for bread. He is always generous, always lending, and his children are a blessing. (Psalms 37:23-26)

These are the words of a man who experienced his Lord as “the living God” throughout a lifetime. We learn a lot from David’s life about this One who is “the living God”. He is intimately involved in our lives. He responds to our obedience to Him, and He disciplines us when we disobey Him. As “the living God”, He does not leave us to guess what He wants us to do. He makes it very clear as we call upon Him. In response, He promises to hold our hand. What more can a Statesman wish for?

David is considered to have been a good King, by God and man. He is representative of human beings with an imperfect nature desiring to do good for those he was called to serve. I propose for your consideration that his view of our Creator as “the living God” played a key part in his life and service. My challenge is for you to get to know God as David did and to have Him as your “living”, active partner throughout your life, guiding you and holding your hand.

The post The View of God Upon Which to Build Statesmanship appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

King David provides us with invaluable perspective when it comes to governing a nation within God’s current-day system.

Who is David? Is he King? Or is he the man who loved God as much as any man who ever walked on this earth? He is both.

Is he the one who sinned so badly that, even though he had hundreds of wives and mistresses, he desired another man’s wife, causing him to be responsible for that man’s death? Or is he the one who wrote the most beautiful love songs to our unseen Creator? He is both.

In spite of his human shortcomings, which he shares with all humanity, we are told:

David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people. (2 Samuel 8:15)

As we consider this King, let us reflect on his conclusions at the end of his life as expressed in 2 Samuel 23:1-4:

These are the last words of David: The declaration of David son of Jesse, the declaration of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the favorite singer of Israel: The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me, His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, “The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God, is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.”

I believe every leader should listen to David’s insights. King David has completed his governing responsibility which spanned 40 years. With his faults, he sought to walk closely with his God and, in the process, perhaps discerned the mind of God for those governing more than any other human being. Hence, his conviction of what his Master requires of those who serve in this position is worth noting:

“The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God.”

David understood the challenges that the administrator of a nation faces, based upon his experience of attempting to walk with God and to shepherd his people. He understood the seduction to power. He understood what it is to give in to that seduction which power affords. He understood what it is to betray the trust God gave him, and he understood God’s grace extended toward him to forgive him and restore him to his original heart’s desire to be God’s servant.

David understood what God’s perfect choice of a ruler would be like. I believe he looked forward to the day when that would become a reality through Jesus’ eventual reign. In the meantime, while waiting for that perfect day, he understood what God intends for our nations today:

“The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God.”

God has designed Government in such a way that imperfect man can effectively administer justice to imperfect humanity. David had two natures, like every governing official and like every human being. His failure came when he did not hold his selfish nature in check. Perhaps, he made the error of attempting to do this in his own strength. The Apostle Paul tells us clearly in Romans 8:12- 13:

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.

We must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to have victory over our selfish nature. We even need God’s power to obey Him. Let us seek God’s help daily in becoming the leader that God intends for our people:

“The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God.”

Please know of my desire to support you in this journey. You and I are both human beings who stumble. However, I am confident that our Creator and Lord desires for you to be:

“The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God.”

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