Notre Créateur nous présente un tableau merveilleux de ce qui, pour nous, mortels, semble être un accomplissement inaccessible. Il décrit de manière vivante l’avenir de son Royaume sur cette terre, lorsqu’Il régnera sur la terre par l’intermédiaire de Jésus. Dieu décrit brièvement ce royaume :

Le Dieu du ciel établira un royaume qui ne sera jamais détruit (Daniel 2:44).

Il décrit ensuite le rôle de Jésus :

Le gouvernement reposera sur ses épaules. On l’appellera Admirable, Conseiller, Dieu puissant, Père éternel, Prince de la paix. La domination sera vaste et sa prospérité ne finira jamais. Il régnera sur le trône de David et sur son royaume, pour l’établir et le soutenir par le droit et la justice, dès maintenant et à jamais. C’est ce que fera le zèle de l’Éternel des armées (Ésaïe 9:6-7).

Ce règne sera caractérisé par la prospérité, la justice et la droiture, entre autres choses. Et la justice parfaite sera accomplie sur toute la terre. Les actes mauvais cesseront d’être infligés par les humains aux humains. Le partage et la générosité remplaceront l’égoïsme et l’accumulation. Les guerres n’existeront plus. Les gémissements de la création dus à la mauvaise gestion humaine ne seront plus.

Est-ce si irréaliste et hors de portée qu’il faille le rejeter comme indigne d’attention ? Je suis convaincu que NON. Bien que nous vivions dans un monde d’humains poussés par leurs motivations égoïstes, je suis convaincu qu’une bonne compréhension du règne de Dieu dans Son Royaume peut nous donner une image de ce qui pourrait être accompli avec l’aide de notre Créateur.

Je suis convaincu que la réflexion sur le Royaume de Dieu permet à l’homme d’État de se faire une idée du monde tel que notre Créateur l’a voulu et de travailler à la réalisation de cet objectif à notre époque.

Lorsque William Wilberforce a imaginé un monde où les êtres humains jouiraient d’une dignité égale, indépendamment de leur race ou de leur statut social, je suis convaincu que c’était parce qu’il avait en tête une image de ce que serait la vie lorsque Dieu prendrait le contrôle et régnerait sur Son Royaume – où chaque personne aurait la dignité d’être créée à l’image de Dieu. Je crois que cette image est celle que Martin Luther King
avait en tête lorsqu’il a déclaré « J’ai un rêve ». Plutôt que d’être un rêve, je crois que c’était une image claire du Royaume de Dieu et de Son intention pour Sa création. Je crois que cette image est celle que Nelson Mandela avait en tête lorsqu’il a consacré sa vie au sacrifice personnel pour que l’injustice de l’apartheid puisse être éliminée.

Le rêve ou l’image ne s’est jamais parfaitement réalisé. Néanmoins, chacun de ces visionnaires nous a conduits vers cette image. Je suis convaincu que l’homme d’État peut tirer un grand profit de l’étude de cette image. Cette image représente certainement le désir de notre Créateur pour sa création, composée de bénédictions dont la nature déchue de l’humanité cherche à nous priver.

Je suis convaincu que ceux que nous considérons comme des hommes d’État ont oeuvré pour améliorer notre monde en se basant sur une image du Royaume de Dieu sous le règne de Dieu. De plus, je suis convaincu que celui qui veut devenir un homme d’État peut grandement bénéficier de l’étude de ce qu’est le Royaume de Dieu et de la demande à Dieu de quelle manière les éléments de ce Royaume peuvent être abordés en cette
époque d’imperfection. Je suis convaincu que l’homme d’État ne planifie pas en fonction de ce qu’il ou elle peut voir, mais en fonction de ce qu’il ou elle peut imaginer en regardant attentivement le Royaume de Dieu. Je rêve personnellement de dirigeants qui regardent le Royaume de Dieu et s’engagent à se rapprocher le plus possible de cet objectif aujourd’hui en appliquant les principes révélés par notre Créateur.

Il y a plusieurs éléments à prendre en compte pour mettre en oeuvre ce principe : regarder le Royaume de Dieu, l’étudier à partir de la Parole de Dieu, imaginer qu’il soit mis en oeuvre dans sa nation, puis prendre les mesures nécessaires pour le réaliser. Examinons les éléments suivants :

Avoir une vision. Chercher à comprendre l’image que Dieu décrit de Son Royaume :

Ayez l’esprit fixé sur les choses d’en haut, et non sur celles qui sont sur la terre (Colossiens 3:2).

Je suis sûr que Wilberforce, King et Mandela avaient leurs détracteurs qui les considéraient comme des idéalistes irréalistes. Néanmoins, ils ont vu quelque chose que leurs détracteurs étaient incapables de voir.

S’approcher de ce qui semble impossible. À une occasion, Jésus, dans un autre contexte, a déclaré :

Aux hommes, cela est impossible, mais à Dieu, tout est possible (Matthieu 19:26).

S’appuyer sur la puissance surnaturelle de Dieu pour changer les coeurs et les circonstances peut certainement faire une différence. Dieu, parlant par l’intermédiaire de l’un de ses serviteurs, a renforcé cela :

Je peux tout par celui qui me fortifie (Philippiens 4:13).

Ouvrez le canal de communication avec Celui qui régnera en mettant en oeuvre Son Royaume. Et il est important de comprendre que notre Créateur utilise des instruments imparfaits – des humains qui ont une nature pécheresse mais qui peuvent obtenir le pardon de leurs péchés en profitant du pardon basé sur notre repentir et sur l’oeuvre sacrificielle de Jésus en notre faveur sur la Croix et Sa résurrection. Le résultat est que nous pouvons bénéficier d’une communication sans entrave entre notre Créateur et nous, y compris Sa direction, puis Sa puissance exercée en notre faveur.

Nous agissons sous la direction de notre Créateur. Nous ne pouvons atteindre les objectifs de notre Créateur que si nous cherchons à être Ses instruments – Ses mains et Ses pieds au service de l’humanité. Il promet :

Je te soutiens de ma droite triomphante. (Ésaïe 41 : 10).

Cela exige de notre part une attitude envers notre Créateur :

Je suis un étranger sur la terre ; ne me cache pas tes commandements (Psaume 119:19).

Soyons prudents : tout effort entrepris à l’époque actuelle doit tenir compte du fait que la nature déchue et pécheresse de l’homme entravera nos efforts. Néanmoins, je suis convaincu que plus nous pourrons voir clairement le Royaume de Dieu, plus nous pourrons nous rapprocher de l’établissement du monde que notre Créateur a voulu, avec le bien-être de notre peuple. Et ce faisant, nous pourrons faire preuve du leadership d’un
homme d’État.

APPLICATION À L’HOMME D’ÉTAT

Quels sont les principaux problèmes auxquels je suis confronté dans la construction d’une nation saine et comment Dieu traitera-t-il ces mêmes problèmes pendant son règne ? Considérant la nature déchue de l’homme à laquelle je suis confronté, dans quelle mesure ce que je sais que Dieu fera puis-je être en mesure d’appliquer ?

The post L’homme d’État envisage nos nations telles qu’elles sont censées être appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

Our Creator paints a wonderful picture of what to us mortals seems like an unattainable achievement. He vividly describes the future of His Kingdom on this earth when He, through Jesus, will reign on the earth. God briefly describes that kingdom:

The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44).

And then He describes Jesus’ role:

The government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:6-7).

That reign will be characterized by prosperity, justice and righteousness among other things. And, perfect justice will be fulfilled throughout the earth. Evil deeds will cease to be inflicted by humans upon humans. Sharing and generosity will replace selfishness and hoarding. Wars will no longer exist. The groanings of creation from human mismanagement will be no longer.

Is this so unrealistic and out of reach that it should be dismissed as unworthy of consideration? I am convinced NO. Although we live in a world of humans driven by their selfish motivations, I am convinced a proper understanding of God’s reign in His Kingdom can give us a picture of what could be achieved with the help of our Creator.

I am convinced that reflecting on the Kingdom of God causes the Statesman to gain a picture of the world as our Creator intended it to be and to work toward elements of achieving that during this era.

When William Wilberforce envisioned a world where humans have equal dignity regardless of race or social status, I am convinced it was because he had a picture in his mind of what life would be like when God took over and reigned over His Kingdom – where each person has the dignity of being created in the image of God. I believe this picture is what Martin Luther King had in his mind when he declared “I have a dream.” Rather than being a dream, I believe it was a clear picture of God’s Kingdom and of His intent for His creation. I believe that this picture is what Nelson Mandela had in mind when he dedicated his life to personal sacrifice so that the injustice of apartheid could be put away.

The dream or the picture was never perfectly achieved. Nevertheless, each of these visionaries moved us toward that picture. I am convinced that the Statesman can greatly benefit from studying this picture. The picture certainly represents our Creator’s desire for His creation, consisting of blessings which the fallen nature of mankind seeks to deprive us.

I am convinced that those we consider Statesmen have worked to improve our world based on a picture of the Kingdom of God under God’s reign. Furthermore, I am convinced that the one who would be a Statesman can greatly benefit by studying what the Kingdom of God is like and asking God how elements of that Kingdom can be approached during this age of imperfection. I am convinced that the Statesman does not plan based on what he or she can see but upon what can be envisioned while looking intently at the Kingdom of God. I personally dream of leaders looking at the Kingdom of God and committing to come as close as humanly possible to achieving that today by applying our Creator’s revealed principles.

There are several elements of implementing this: Looking at the Kingdom of God, studying it from God’s Word, envisioning it being implemented in one’s nation, and then taking the steps toward bringing it about. Let us consider the following elements:

Envisioning.  Seek to understand the picture God describes of His Kingdom:

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth (Colossians 3:2).

I am sure Wilberforce, King, and Mandela had their detractors who viewed them as unrealistic idealists. Nevertheless, they saw something their detractors were unable to see.

Approaching the seemingly impossible. On one occasion, Jesus, in another context, expressed:

With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Surely, relying on the supernatural power of God to change hearts and circumstances can be expected to make a difference. God, speaking through one of His servants, reinforced this:

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

Open the communication channel with the One who will reign in implementing His Kingdom. And it is important to understand that our Creator uses imperfect instruments – humans who have a sinful nature but who can have those sins forgiven through our availing ourselves of the forgiveness based upon our repentance and Jesus’ sacrificial work on our behalf on the Cross and His resurrection. The result is that we can benefit from unhindered communication between our Creator and us, including His guidance, and then His power exerted on our behalf.

Operating under our Creator’s guidance. We can only achieve our Creator’s goals when we seek to be His instruments – His hands and His feet in serving humanity. He promises:

I will hold onto you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

This requires the attitude toward our Creator on our part:

I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commands from me (Psalm 119:19).

Let us caution ourselves that any efforts during the current era must take into account that man’s fallen, sinful nature will hinder our efforts. Nevertheless, I am convinced that the more clearly we can see the Kingdom of God, the closer we can come to establishing the world that our Creator intended, with well-being for our people. And in the process, we can display the leadership of a Statesman.

APPLICATION TO THE STATESMAN

What are the major issues I am facing in building a healthy nation and how will God deal with these same issues during His reign?

Considering the fallen nature of man that I confront, how much of what I know God will do may I be able to apply?

The post The Statesman Envisions Our Nations as They Are Intended to Be appeared first on CENTRE FOR STATECRAFT.

The Statesman stands out in his vision. As analysts have pointed out:

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 (Edmund Burke).

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 is the rare individual who does not think like everyone else does. The Statesman stands out against the majority who are politicians. Considering how rare they are, to whom can the Statesman turn for advice and guidance with confidence? There may be no human to whom the Statesman can turn with confidence that they will give him the help that he seeks in support of his vision.

We all need someone we can trust, from whom we can seek wise counsel as a check on our human wisdom to ensure that there is no human error in our plans. We all need someone we can trust to literally hold us by the hand, someone we can trust to guide us and support us. Because the Statesman is often operating in a direction diametrically opposed to the norm, on whom can he count for support? Statesmen are human beings largely travelling into uncharted territory. As a human being, when is a time when you felt fully secure? I sincerely hope this takes you back to childhood, when a loving parent held you by the hand. As an adult, how can we capture that same sense of security? As we consider this issue, let us consider the truly helpless in our societies. When no human is available to help them, the One they must reach out to is the same One the Statesman must reach out to – Almighty God Himself. Clearly, in order to do this, we must gain confidence in His ability to meet our needs.

Although the context is different, God made clear His basic principle when He said to one He addressed as “My servant”:

I am the Lord, I have called You for a righteous purpose, and I will hold You by your hand. I will keep You and appoint you… (Isaiah 42:6).

Although this is part of a passage that points to Jesus, it has wider application that, I submit, applies to all of us. And God clarified, seemingly to a broader audience that He addresses as His servants:

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

“I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.” – This is God’s way of supporting those humans who are His instruments. Applying this to the Statesman, God said of King David, whom He referred to as “My servant”:

My hand will always be with him, and My arm will strengthen him (Psalm 89:21).

I believe this is what made David, perhaps one of the great Statesman of all time, and can help us to be a Statesman. Listen to the ways King David expressed this understanding of God holding him by the hand throughout his life:

I follow close to You; Your right hand holds on to me (Psalm 63:8).

Your right hand upholds me (Psalm 18:35).

You will extend Your hand; Your right hand will save me (Psalm 138:7).

Your right hand will hold on to me (Psalm 139:10).

It was his continual understanding that God was holding him by the hand, as hopefully your father did for you as a child. Let us attempt to glean truths from the promises we began with in Isaiah’s writings:

I am the Lord, I have called You for a righteous purpose, and I will hold You by your hand. I will keep You and appoint you… (Isaiah 42:6).

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

First, there is the promise: that He will “hold us by the hand”. There is an interesting choice of words here. The reality is that when we are held securely by the hand, we still may stumble. This is not a promise that we would never face obstacles or never trip over them, but that we will not and cannot fall. When we stumble, we cling even more tightly to the hand that is holding us, and this is what God intends. Just to clarify, when we place our hand in God’s hand and we stumble, it is possible to fall, but only if we let go of God’s hand – if we intuitively attempt to right ourselves and, in the process, let go of God’s hand to regain our balance. But it is at times like this that we must cling all the more tightly to Him.

Then, observe the purpose: “a righteous purpose”. From this, we learn that the endeavour God supports in holding us by the hand is “a righteous purpose.” We recognize that the only purpose we can be sure is a righteous purpose is the one He directs us to take. As we undertake that “righteous purpose”, note what He provides: “I will strengthen you; I will help you”.

What does it mean to allow God to hold us by the hand? What does it mean to hold God by the hand? We have seen King David’s expressions as Statesman, where he emphasizes to God “I follow close to You”. President Abraham Lincoln expressed it in a similar way:

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.

This is Lincoln, as Statesman, describing God holding him by the hand and his holding onto God’s hand. We were designed by our Creator to need Him and, in the process, to grow more deeply into an intimate dependence upon Him. One reminder is the prayer of the psalmist:

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).

I submit that this must be the mindset for the Statesman allowing God to hold him by the hand.

Application to the Statesman: Do I recognize my own need to have someone I can trust and I know will hold me by the hand? Do I trust the Creator of my life and this world to play that role in my life? Clearly, He wants to hold my hand. Am I willing to hold His? What steps would I have to take to do this?

Let us each actively work to tighten our grip on our Creator’s hand through increasing our knowledge of Him through His instruction and strengthening our trust in Him.

The post Who Holds the Hand of the Statesman? 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.

Our Creator paints a wonderful picture of what to us mortals seems like an unattainable picture. He vividly describes the future of His Kingdom on this earth when He, through Jesus, will reign on the earth. That reign will be characterized by prosperity, justice and righteousness among other things:

The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:7).

Perfect justice will be fulfilled throughout the earth. Our evil enemy, who seduces us to commit evil acts, will be stopped, thereby allowing righteousness to prosper unhindered by human greed. Hence, evil deeds will cease to be inflicted by humans upon humans. Sharing and generosity will replace selfishness and hoarding. Wars will no longer exist. The groanings of creation from human mismanagement will be no longer.

Is this so unrealistic and out of reach that it should be dismissed as unworthy of consideration? I am convinced NO. Although, we live in a world of humans driven by their selfish motivations, I am convinced a proper understanding of God’s reign in His Kingdom can give us a picture of what could be achieved with the help of our Creator, and which we could work toward.

Importantly, I am convinced that reflecting on the Kingdom of God with Jesus’ earthly reign causes the Statesman to gain a picture of the world as our Creator intended it to be and to work toward elements of achieving that during this current era.

When William Wilberforce envisioned a world where humans had equal dignity regardless of race or social status, I am convinced it was because he had a picture in his mind of what life would be like when God took over and reigned over His Kingdom – where each person experienced the dignity of being created in the image of God. I believe this picture is what Martin Luther King had in his mind when he declared “I have a dream.” Rather than being a dream, I believe it was a picture of God’s Kingdom and of His intent for His creation. I believe that this picture is what Nelson Mandela had in mind when he dedicated his life to personal sacrifice so that the injustice of apartheid could be put away.

The dream or the picture was never perfectly achieved. Nevertheless, each of these visionaries moved us toward that picture. I am convinced that the Statesman can greatly benefit from studying that picture. That picture certainly represents our Creator’s desire for His creation, consisting of blessings which the fallen nature of mankind seeks to deprive us.

I am convinced that those we consider Statesmen have worked to improve our world based on a picture of the Kingdom of God under our Creator’s reign. Furthermore, I am convinced the one who would be a Statesman can greatly benefit by studying what the Kingdom of God will be like and asking God how elements of that Kingdom can be approached during this age of imperfection. I am convinced that the Statesman does not plan based on what can be seen but upon what can be envisioned while looking intently at the Kingdom of God. In fact, I personally dream of leaders looking at the Kingdom of God and committing to come as close as humanly possible to achieving that today.

There are several elements for implementing this: Looking at the Kingdom of God, studying it from God’s Word, envisioning it being implemented in one’s nation, and then the steps toward bringing it about. Let us consider the following elements:

Envisioning.  Seek to understand the picture God describes of His Kingdom:

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth (Colossians 3:2).

Certainly Wilberforce, King, and Mandela had their detractors who viewed them as unrealistic idealists. Nevertheless, they saw something their detractors were unable to see.

Approaching the seemingly impossible. On one occasion, Jesus, in another context, expressed:

With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Surely, relying on the supernatural power of God to change hearts and circumstances can be expected to make a difference. God, speaking through one of His servants, reinforced this:

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

Instilling righteousness into the larger community. Note that the key ingredient of Jesus’ reign will be righteousness, and any effort toward achieving the vision His reign inspires must include efforts toward increasing righteousness, as the critical foundation. This is frequently referred to as spiritual awakening, where individuals are challenged to embrace the righteousness of Jesus and allow His righteousness to manifest itself through members of our community. This involves a critical mass embracing Jesus as Savior from our sins. The process of that spreading of righteousness was described by Jesus in a parable:

You are the light of the world … let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16),

thereby embracing the righteousness Jesus offers. The reality is that such spiritual awakenings largely underpinned what was achieved by Wilberforce and Mandela. Let us not as mere mortals imagine that we alone can change our nations into righteous communities in our own ability.

Beginning with us. We must embrace the righteousness that Jesus offers us:

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).

And we do that through accepting Jesus’ sacrificial payment for our sins:

He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The result of this transformation for our lives and all recruited through that spiritual awakening is:

For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

Motivating others to participate with us. Let us caution ourselves that any efforts during the current era must take into account that man’s fallen, sinful nature will hinder our efforts. And it is important to understand that our Creator uses imperfect instruments – humans who have a sin nature but who can have those sins forgiven through our availing ourselves of the forgiveness based upon our repentance and Jesus’ sacrificial work on our behalf on the Cross and His resurrection.

I am convinced the more clearly we can see the Kingdom of God, the closer we can come to establishing the world, with well-being for our people, that our Creator intended. And in the process, we can display the leadership of a Statesman.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE STATESMAN

Can I envision God’s Kingdom as a picture of what my society might be able to achieve with the help of God’s righteousness in my fellow human beings?

Have I led the way in creating the foundation that would allow my society to move toward the righteousness that would allow us to attempt to experience the righteousness which will underlie Jesus’ reign on the earth by embracing Jesus as my Savior?

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The Statesman faces a dilemma while operating within democratic governance. The Statesman cannot single-handedly enact legislation to support his/her vision without the help of those who are largely Politicians. Hence, one of the greatest challenges the Statesman faces is influencing those who are Politicians to support his/her vision. We have already argued that the Statesman is not yet the norm. Rather, the self-interested Politician is. In this current era of governance, we need significant numbers to support the vision of the Statesman. Hence, the Statesman will not succeed unless he/she can influence Politicians to achieve a common vision. In effect, our goal must be to motivate those who are naturally Politicians to become statesmanlike.

We have an effective example in George Catlett Marshall who, as a Statesman, was more concerned with doing good, using the authority at his disposal rather than aspiring to a higher position. His great genius was the way he brought out the best in those who governed with him. Marshall’s efforts to achieve what became called the Marshall Plan for the rebuilding of Europe after World War II provide a beautiful example of this trait of the Statesman: the capacity to make his vision contagious and draw others into it, including those from the opposition. Some of those Marshall drew into his effort and whom he motivated to statesmanlike behavior were: Senator Arthur Vandenberg, Will Clayton, Richard Bissell, Paul Hoffman, W. Averell Harriman, Ernest Bevin, Jean Monet, Robert Schuman. As an example, Senator Vandenberg was the key member of the U.S. Senate controlled by the opposition party, whose support he needed to procure the necessary Government funding. The partnership between these two leaders, whose party affiliations opposed each other, is a beautiful example of rising above party for the good of the people. Marshall was apparently able to appeal to the humanity, or the heart, in those whose cooperation he needed.

As an aside, bipartisanship should not be surprising. The goals of the Statesman do not belong to a particular party but rather belong to the well-being of humanity. As such, regardless of party and political differences, all should be able to support them. Nevertheless, the Statesman must convince those preoccupied with party to share the same human goals.

A corollary of this is that the Statesman has a different attitude toward the opposition than the Politician does. I believe that one of the most important relationships in the life of the Statesman is with those in the opposition. 1 They will help us to see potential blind spots. One official shared with me that his father was the Leader of the Opposition in the early days after independence of his nation. In Parliament, his father was sharply critical of the Prime Minister. However, every time his father visited the village, he brought back bushels of produce that he then took to the residence of the Prime Minister. Privately, they were close friends. I am convinced that those in the opposition should be among our closest friends. We need their perspectives.

What are options available to the Statesman to motivate those around him/her to statesmanlike behavior? We have already argued that the most effective way to operate as a Statesman is to govern under the guidance of our Creator. If we could facilitate those in the governing class gaining this perspective, it could potentially be the most effective method of all. Thus, it could also contribute to ensuring continuing statesmanlike behavior after us. An example is the effort by one 21st Century Prime Minister who challenged those serving in Government with him, beginning with his own testimony of the need for God’s help:

I needed assistance, direction and strength that even my family, friends and colleagues could not give. I realised that the support I was looking for could only come from God. To that point, my relationship with my Maker was something I didn’t think much about. I took it for granted. I suppose I was one of those lukewarm Christians, who coasted along in the hope that if I generally behaved myself and said my prayers I would get to Heaven. That was not enough to sustain me in my new job as Prime Minister. Increasingly, I found myself turning to God. I submitted myself in total surrender and obedience to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. As I seek knowledge and wisdom through constant prayer and from daily readings of God’s Holy Word, I opened my heart to the Holy Spirit to counsel me and guide me. Ladies and gentlemen, I can tell you that this truly is the Way; for it is God Himself who is the real leader of a nation. And it is only in Him and from Him that we can be blessed as individuals, as communities, as organizations and as a country.

Here is a leader of Government challenging those serving in Government to submit to the guidance which God provides. If we could motivate those who serve with us to view themselves as God’s instruments on behalf of the people and to learn to depend upon His guidance, I am confident we would find ourselves working more harmoniously. This strikes me as being the ultimate in Statesmen challenging the teachable to become Statesmen.

Another long-range approach would be challenging the Religious Institution, e.g. the Church, to fulfill its God-given responsibility as “the pillar and foundation of the truth” 2 from God our Creator to every segment of His creation, including Government. As a part of the Church myself, I quickly acknowledge that we in the Church have not fulfilled our responsibility in this area. I would support you in galvanizing the Church to fulfill this responsibility.

References

1. Gary I. Allen, “Relationships Essential for Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Head of Government and His Cabinet”, in Leadership for Nation Building, 3rd ed. (2010), pp. 107-114.

2. Bible, 1 Timothy 3:15.

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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.

You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… (Matthew 5:43-44)

He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 18:4)

Then he entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, engaging in discussion and trying to persuade them about the things of the kingdom of God. (Acts 19:8)

After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and witnessed about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. (Acts 28:23)

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?” (Acts 26:28)

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Edmund Burke, the respected British political figure in the late eighteenth century, had provided the following insight into the character of the Statesman:

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. ¹

According to Burke, a defining characteristic of the Statesman is that he or she operates on “enduring principles” ― those that represent the noblest of mankind, driven by godly character and the immense dignity of man.

There are two issues here. The Statesman is characterized by vision and this makes the Statesman noble by comparison with the self-promoting Politician. However, even though the Statesman possesses a noble vision, the Statesman will not stoop to unethical methods to achieve those noble goals. Clearly, the ends never justify the means. It is incongruous to pursue noble goals while employing ignoble methods to achieve them. Statesmen are leaders of character.

Secondly, our Creator has vested great authority in Government for the purpose of doing for the people that which they are not equipped to do for themselves ― for achieving the noble goals that vision embraces. Hence, we have God’s analogy with the shepherd. Perhaps God’s instruction which best describes the reason for the existence of Government is: “Pursue justice and justice alone.” ² Justice in all its facets will give all members of society their best opportunity to achieve the quality of life God intends for them. Essential issues in the life of the Statesman are character, including honesty and integrity, all based on a foundation of commitment to justice. President Dwight Eisenhower summed it up well:

The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity…His teachings and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose. ³

The governing official is a human being, with all the temptations that human beings face. However, he or she must possess the capacity to recognize this reality and to overcome it. This is where we need the help of God, who intends for us as human beings to be able to provide service to our fellow human beings. ⁴ One analyst commented on the reality of functioning in a democratic State: “It is a republic designed for sinners.” ⁵ This is the beauty of effective democratic governance: our Creator provides for imperfect human beings to implement justice for imperfect humanity. We are under obligation to the people we serve and to our Master not to allow ourselves to misuse the authority of which we are a steward. The Statesman must be able to rise above the weaknesses and temptations from his or her human nature. The solution is not to deny this reality but rather to display the strength and ability to overcome. It is to avail ourselves of the power of God’s Holy Spirit to “put to death the deeds of the body.” ⁶ Quoting Edmund Burke again: “There never was a bad man that had ability for good service.” ⁷ We are under obligation to the people we serve and to our Master not to allow ourselves to misuse the authority of which we are a steward.

We, as imperfect human beings, are charged with administering perfect justice for an imperfect humanity. We must always recognize that we need the help of a perfect God and Master. We must submit to Him in every action we take.

References:

1. Edmund Burke, quoted in Maturin Murray Ballou, Pearls of Thought (1881; Houghton, Mifflin & Co, 1884), p. 249.
2. Bible, Deuteronomy 16:20.
3. Dwight D. Eisenhower, quoted in Lloyd Cory, ed., Quotable Quotations (Wheaton: Victor, 1985), p. 211.
4. Gary Allen, Challenge to Govern as Statesmen (2019), pp. 61-62, 65-69
5. Michael Novak, “Public Arguments: Saint Thomas More”, Crisis Magazine, 1 June 1993.
6. Bible, Romans 8:13.
7. Edmund Burke, Impeachment of Warren Hastings, 15 February 1788, quoted in John Bartlett, Familiar Quotations, 15th ed. (Boston: Little, Brown, 1980), p. 373.

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When the Statesman gains an understanding that our Creator has a plan that is knowable by His creation and that we may participate in, it provides a confidence that gives the strength to act boldly and decisively. The Statesman is driven by hope resulting from understanding God’s plan. Behind the clear visionary leadership is a confidence in the future based upon a conviction there is a force for good ─ Yahweh, Jehovah, God ─ superintending the world and our lives, and that His plan is good, knowable and achievable. He has instructed us:

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ¹

The best source of hope is complete confidence in Almighty God. Then, our hope is based upon the confidence that there is a good God working on our behalf to accomplish His plan.

Hope leads us to take action.

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ²

The people who know their God will display strength and take action. ³

Two of the great displays of statesmanlike behavior were the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln on 22 September 1862, freeing all slaves in areas that were still in rebellion against the Union; and the passage by the House of Representatives on 31 January 1865 of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, abolishing slavery in the United States.

President Lincoln expended great political capital in both cases. In the case of the Emancipation Proclamation, he was certain that by taking such a bold position, he would not be re-elected in the upcoming 1864 Presidential election. And yet, he was confident he was doing the right thing in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. He was willing to take the risk because he knew it was the correct thing to do, even though this action would likely work against his continuing in office. To him, using the authority of office to correct this injustice was more important than holding this high position.

In the case of the Thirteenth Amendment, the U.S. Senate had already passed the resolution the previous year, but it had failed in the House of Representatives over the issue of states’ rights. Again, he expended immense political capital to gain the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment 119-56. The requirement for a two-thirds majority in order to proceed to the states for ratification mandated that the passage of the resolution have bipartisan support. Hence, the focus of Lincoln’s energy was on those from the opposition, drawing many to support the resolution who had voted against it along party lines the year before.

I am convinced that recognizing that there is Creator operating according to His plan for good, which we as human beings may know and participate in implementing, is a tremendous motivation for moving ahead aggressively. Although the risks we take may be political, insofar as we know His mind, we may be confident we are doing the right thing.

It is with this foundation in mind that I am inspired by the remarks of President Theodore Roosevelt:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. ⁴

References:

1. Bible, Isaiah 40:31. 2. Ibid.,
2 Corinthians 3:12.
3. Ibid., Daniel 11:32.
4. Excerpt from the speech “Citizenship In A Republic” delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910.

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A former President of Columbia University commented:

Our world is made up of three kinds of people: the few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, and the great majority who have no idea what is happening. ¹

We cannot rely on the latter to improve the health of our societies. Hence, we should not place the reins of leadership into their hands. King Solomon said it bluntly:

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).

Jesus warned us against the danger of allowing the ignorant to lead:

“They are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14).

We cannot afford leadership that lacks vision. But where does vision come from? Here, I believe the genius of the statesman is to understand that there is a God who has established a plan for mankind that is unchanging and that we as human beings can participate in. God gives us insights into His plan:

[God:] 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. I will call a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far country. Yes, I have spoken; so I will also bring it about. I have planned it; I will also do it. (Isaiah 46:9-11)

[God:] I have loved you with an everlasting love… (Jeremiah 31:3)

[God:] For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

The goal of the Statesman is to move us closer to the picture that our Creator paints of His intended plan for His creation.

God describes several distinct aspects of His planning and implementation: (1) God has designed a plan.

1. His plan is for well-being.
2. He makes known His plan.
3. He implements His plan.
4. His plan allows us the privilege of being His hands and feet in implementing His purposes.

It is God’s everlasting plan that is the basis for the direction for the nation ― a plan that God desires to make known to willing leaders. How do we gain access to this plan? Can we know it by ourselves? As God has told us:

“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).

Our own ingenuity will not reveal to us God’s plan. We cannot intuitively know His mind or His plans. He must reveal them to us. And we must allow Him to do so.

[God] guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way…. Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He (God) will instruct him in the way chosen for him…. The LORD confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them. (Psalms 25:9,12,14)

The genius of the true leader is that he/she has the capacity to think long-range based upon the knowledge that God has a long-range plan that He gladly reveals to those who seek Him.

[God] reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light. (Job 12:22)

Daniel explained to one of the most powerful rulers of all time God’s revelation to man:

He (God) reveals the deep and hidden things; … there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay in bed were these:…(Daniel 2:22-28)

[Of God:] He is here: the One who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, the One who makes the dawn out of darkness and strides on the heights of the earth. Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name. (Amos 4:13)

[God:] I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them… (Isaiah 42:16)

A corollary of this is that the Statesman sees possibility where the politician sees only impossibility. All things are possible when we operate according to His plan:

[Jesus:] With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Hence, the individual who would be God’s instrument in the life of a nation and its people must aggressively seek to understand God’s plan. As King Solomon concluded:

The fear of God is the beginning of (literally, the basis for) wisdom. (Psalms 111:10).

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