Live with Honour, Not Outrage
Romans 13:1 All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all those who rule now were given that power by God.
You turn on the news, and there it is again – another billion dollars poured into some government vanity project while the poor go hungry, hospitals crumble, and justice is starting to feel like a bit of a luxury. It’s easy to wonder: What sort of wisdom lets people like that rule? Surely God could have done better.
The other day we chatted about paying taxes – about honouring God even when the system seems unfair. But this runs deeper. Because if you think about it, behind every law, every leader, every nation, there’s power. And power corrupts, doesn’t it? So why would a good God allow such flawed people to hold authority?
On a chessboard, the pawns and pieces move in ways that make no sense from their tiny square. But a chess grandmaster sees the whole game – every move, every purpose, every eventual checkmate. That’s kind of what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote this:
Romans 13:1 All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all those who rule now were given that power by God.
It doesn’t mean that God endorses each and every policy, or excuses every act of abuse. It means that His sovereignty is bigger than their power. Even when rulers act unjustly, God is still at work – shaping history, refining hearts, and calling His people to live with honour, not outrage.
So how do we respond? With wisdom, humility, and courage.
We speak truth, yes. We pray for leaders, absolutely. But above all, we trust that the true King never loses control – not for one moment.
Because that’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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