Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

Verses 5-6 have been central to me personally for many years, and verses 11-12 are central to the whole idea of discipleship training, but this verse stand out to me this morning, especially because of how it is violated by so many. The current US administration seems to be a case study in this, with presidential arrogance – I’m smarter than you, so your opinion doesn’t count – and active courting and supporting of things that are clearly spoken of as evil in the Bible and considered evil by a majority of Americans. Just keeping up with the news can be enough to put a Christian in depression! However, that reaction too is a violation of this verse, because it supposes that the way we see things is how they really are, and it forgets that God is still God. God has used other actively evil governments to advance His purposes! Actually, the “wise in your own eyes” description applies to a large majority of politicians in any country. The only real course for a Bible-believing citizen is to pray the Lord’s Prayer in all earnestness and sincerity, and follow that up with specific prayer for individual leaders. That done, we need to relax and trust God!

I have certainly been tied in knots over political news more times than I care to think about, because that shows I’m not really trusting God. It is heart breaking to see the things that are being done to the American nation, but at the same time I am seeing that events are causing a great polarization, with those on the side of Biblical values waking up and standing up, and that is highly desirable. In Japan too, echoes of persecution for religious conviction are starting, and some people are waking up. I need to trust God and rejoice, regardless of what things look like in the short term. I have neither wisdom nor knowledge, but I know my God, and that should be enough.

Father, I’ve wasted a lot of emotional energy, over the past couple of years in particular, over things happening in the national and international arenas. Forgive my little faith. Help me personally to fear You and shun evil, not thinking I have the answers but resting in the assurance that You not only have the answers, You are the answer. Thank You. Praise God!