Happy Veterans Day to all who served and the families supporting them. Your sacrifices reflect the resilience and unity that sustain a nation, reminding you that true strength is found in service—not only to our country but to God and each other.
As we honor those who have served, we also reflect on a different kind of service that transcends political outcomes and points us back to a higher calling. Whether the recent election brought satisfaction or disappointment, this is a time to consider:
Does your responsibility to pray end here?
Should you respond to others with mockery or resentment?
The Apostle Paul, along with Silvanus and Timothy, urged the early church in Thessalonica to live in gratitude, humility, and unity in service to God (1 Thessalonians 5: 15-23). Their timeless wisdom offers guidance for you today.
Give Thanks for Everything
Scripture reminds you, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Gratitude helps you keep a compassionate heart, even when opinions and outcomes differ. Resist the urge to let resentment “quench the Spirit.” Harboring hostility toward others clouds your heart and dims your ability to hear God’s truth.
Avoid Mockery and Scorn
It’s tempting to laugh at someone else’s misfortune or feel smug in your views. But Proverbs cautions, “Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.” Mocking those who feel disappointed—whether over politics or personal struggles—is a serious offense. Taking pleasure in someone’s pain brings reproach upon your own heart and separates you from God's Spirit of compassion and unity.
Seek God’s Will Above Your Own
The Bible is filled with examples of people choosing leaders who ultimately led them astray: the crowd chose Barabbas over Jesus, Israel chose Saul over God, and Jeroboam led the people into idolatry. Winning an election doesn’t make a leader righteous or wise. Only God truly knows what is best for His people. As the Psalmist declares, “Exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south, but God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another.”
In this light, approach all leaders with prayer, trusting God’s will above all else. Daniel said, “God changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings.” In His message to Jeremiah, God said, “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me.”
Make America Great
You may have heard calls to “make America great,” but an essential phrase is missing: May God make America great. After all, as Bildad says in the Book of Job, “God makes nations great, and He destroys them; He enlarges nations and leads them away.” Though Bildad’s perspective was limited, he expressed a truth for all time: only God holds a nation’s future.
This reminds me of Joshua’s encounter with the warrior as he prepared to enter battle at Jericho. Seeing the figure with a drawn sword, Joshua asked, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” The angel’s response was divine: “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord.”
In other words, the angel was not for one side or another but for God alone. I find myself, like this angel, aligned with God above any party or candidate. My allegiance is to the Lord, who raises up and brings down nations according to His will. Your calling is also to follow God’s purposes, trusting that He alone has the power to guide and sustain a nation.
By placing your hope in God, rather than in human strength, you find peace. When you align with His will, you recognize that it is God—not man—who truly makes a nation great.
Keep The Unity
Our nation’s divisions don’t diminish the truth: God is still at work. You are called to “make petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving for all people—for kings and all those in authority.” Pray and offer thanksgiving for all leaders. This isn’t about ignoring differences but about acknowledging a higher authority over us all.
In 1 Timothy, you’re urged to pray for leaders so that you may “live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” Unity and peace begin with a commitment to respect, even when disagreements arise. Help those around you grow in faith and strength rather than tearing them down.
Place Your Confidence in God
It’s easy to put your confidence in a person, but true wisdom is trusting God rather than any human leader. As Proverbs says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.” Leaders come and go; no matter who is in office, God holds the future.
As a follower of Christ, support others, offer comfort, and exercise patience. Don’t repay evil for evil; instead, seek peace among yourselves. Even disagreeing, strive to exemplify humility, grace, and patience.
Pursue God’s Vision for Greatness
What truly makes a nation great goes beyond political outcomes. As Proverbs tells you, “Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.” A bit of humility reminds you that while you may not know what tomorrow holds, you know Who holds tomorrow. With prayer and trust, you can confidently acknowledge God’s purpose in every season, believing that He works all things for good for those who love Him.
My concern is that we don’t lose sight of who truly makes America great. Let’s avoid mocking others and resist placing our confidence in any elected official. Instead, let’s work to unite rather than divide, comfort rather than reject, support, and, when needed, warn—with patience and compassion.
Pray for our leaders and give thanks, whether they were your choice or not. Trust God to make America great in His way and His time, and seek to live blamelessly until the Lord Jesus Christ calls you home.
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