"When this takes place, you will complain against the king whom you have chosen, but on that day the LORD will not answer you.”
The people, however, refused to listen to Samuel’s warning and said,
“Not so! There must be a king over us. We too must be like other nations, with a king to rule us and to lead us in warfare and fight our battles.”
Someone once said, "The business of kings is war." The Israelites had grown weary of Philistine harassment and insisted that the Judge Samuel should appoint a king to lead them in war, organize a government, and establish peace. The old Judge resisted because he believed God should be their only king; but the LORD directed him to accept their demand.
The Bible records great ambivalence about kingship even as it lauds David, the ideal once and future king. After Saul became King, and David succeeded him, the judges disappeared and prophets succeeded them to counsel and pester them. The Prophet Nathan advised David, sometimes severely; Elijah did the same for Ahab; and Isaiah, for Ahaz. They didn't have the authority of the Egyptian priests but neither could they be ignored.
Christianity retains that ambivalence about governments to this day. We do not support democracy any more than we support royalty, theocracy, dictatorships, or anarchy. All have their advantages; all have their problems. The Church wants a stable government which practices justice and mercy. We insist upon the free expression of religion so that we can announce God's kingdom as we pray for the nations, their rulers and their peoples.
Governments and economies should promote the welfare of the poor and disadvantaged. That should be a foundation of every form of government for it supports stability, harmony, and a sense of purpose from the bottom up. There's a very reasonable explanation for the high incidence of crime in the United States; we do not support the least among us. But if you don't take care of the poor and disadvantaged, they'll take care of you.
When Jesus forgave the sins of the paralyzed man, he demonstrated that principle of compassion for the disadvantaged. Societies like to blame the victims for their own suffering. We might not know how they did it, but we're sure they brought it upon themselves. With that assurance we need not change our laws, practices, or standard operating procedures. Governments and businesses can continue to take care of the influential and powerful while neglecting the rest.
This is why the scribes complained about Jesus forgiving the paralytic, "Who but God alone can forgive sins?” So long as God doesn't appear to show compassion for the wretch, why should we? Don't rock the boat with your merciful compassion! We like things the way they are!
When the Church speaks of natural law, it includes this principle of care for the least among us. It's what we do naturally, when we let rationality and humanity govern us. The recent pandemic demonstrated what should be obvious, we're all in this together. Our togetherness begins with compassion for the needy -- for God is also a helpless infant.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.