“MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT IS BARACK OBAMA”

If you're like me — and you have kids — then you teach them to respect authority. But your high-schooler is having trouble with his math teacher, whom he feels doesn't like him and unfairly criticizes him. You've spoken with his math teacher and you're not sure if that's really the case, or if it's because math isn't your son's favorite subject. You suspect that the source of your son's trouble is that he's not paying attention in class. So you tell your him to to respect his teacher's authority and to focus more in class.

Then, one day you discover that your son has joined a Facebook group from his high school called:

DEAR LORD, THIS YEAR YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTOR, PATRICK SWAYZIE. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTRESS, FARAH FAWCETT. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE SINGER, MICHAEL JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE TEACHER IS MR. O'HARA, MY MATH TEACHER. AMEN.

Would you think it's funny?

Yet, many of us have been laughing at a similar Facebook page about President Obama.

Guilty As Charged

Okay, I have to admit that when I first read this, I thought it was funny, too. In fact, I continued to think (and chuckle) about it even the next morning — that is, until the Holy Spirit quickly checked me and showed me that this is not a laughing matter.

He reminded me that God is pretty serious on the subject of authority and about honoring that authority. Here are a few scriptures that make my point:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. - Romans 13:1

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. - 1 Peter 2:12-14

Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. - 1 Peter 2:17

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. - Romans 13:6-8

If Respect, Then Respect; If Honor, Then Honor

So, it seem that God wants us to respect and honor authority. Unfortunately, like it or not, this includes our president.

When George Bush was president, I was appalled by the level of disrespect he received in the press and as a whole from the general population. In one online forum, the people there claimed that he was more hated than Hitler. On a poll on the liberal website Democratic Underground, members voted George Bush "the most hated person in the world," winning 94% of the votes. (Following a close second was Osama Bin Laden, with 6% of the vote.)

An oped piece on OpEdNews.Com says this about President Bush:

"It is tragic that such a small majority of active American voters have been able to create such a vile, reprehensible untouchable who most certainly is the most hated, most loathed man in the history of the world."

And the Gateway Pundit blog reported that Bush was boo'd as he took the stage at the Presidential inauguration last year, and a section of the crowd began chanting, "Nah nah nah nah, hey hey, good-bye."

If things like this upset you, then how is joining a denegrating Facebook group or constantly complaining about the current President any different? Isn't it dishonoring and disrespecting his God-given authority, just like the Bush-haters did? How can we expect our children to honor, respect and submit to authority (include our authority) when we do not?

But What About Freedom Of Speech?

The First Amendment guantees us the right to freedom of speech and, as Americans, we're accustomed to exercising it. Yet what happens when our "rights" as Americans butt up against the Kingdom of God?

Author John Bevere says that, as Americans, we will never understand Kingdom principles if we try to approach them with a democratic mindset. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." So do we exercise our "rights" as Americans, or do we submit to the authority of the Kingdom where our true citizenship lies? Could it be that the current state of our economy may, in part, have something to do with how we, as Americans, have so dishonored and disrespected the previous President? How can we expect things to get any better if we, as Christians, carry out this deplorable tradition with the current President?

The author I mentioned earlier, John Bevere, has written a book entitled Honor's Reward, in which he talks about this subject in greather depth. He has a 3-part series as mp3 downloads available on his website. I highly recommend it.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. -1 Timothy 2:1-2