DEMOCRACY – JESUS AND THE BIBLE

Governance or leadership, be it of an individual, family, group, society or a nation is, nothing but a, true reflection of the quality of the people’s leadership, and the display of their desires to serve its citizens. In that sense, the quality of the people, and the leaders it throws up, is reflected in the quality of governance, be it in an individual, a group, a society and any nation.

Honest evaluation is that, man woefully falls short in his ability to lead with love, compassion, integrity and transparency. Not just these, man terribly fails in his attempts to implement LIBERTY, EQUALITY and JUSTICE. We can see this flaw in all groups of people, across the globe. We are more inclined to employ, selective application of the laws, and the governance apparatus is geared towards implementing an agenda, where one set of rules are for our “own” people, and another set of rules for others, in most cases.

When it comes to our own, we are lenient, less critical and more forgiving. The same is exactly opposite. Raju Ravitej says, “The law is applied strongly upon the weak, and weakly upon the strong.” How true!

How does the LORD Jesus, and the Bible, view governance and leadership?
1- The LORD God Almighty chose a SUFFERING SAVOUR, and a SERVANT LEADER, instead of a Warrior King or a Wise Politician.
2- God did not alter His law to make it easy for Jesus to achieve victory over sin, and bring salvation.
3- God’s love for us, and His passion to uphold justice, are met perfectly and uncompromisingly in Jesus Christ’s birth, suffering and death.
4- The law given to Moses, demonstrates to us, the heart and the intent of God.

We see, in the Bible, an intentional desires to RESPECT AND PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE WEAK AND THE VULNERABLE – A Selection from Leviticus 19
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien [foreigner]: I am the LORD your God…”
“You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.”
“You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor…”
“You shall rise before the aged, and defer to the old; and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.”
“When an alien [foreigner] resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien [foreigner] as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” – Leviticus 19:9-10, 13-15, 32-34

THE LORD’S WAY – THE LEADERS SHOULD SERVE ITS PEOPLE – A Reading of Jesus’ Servant Leadership.
– “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” – Luke 22:25b-27.

The LORD Jesus and the laws of the Bible speak volumes about how one should govern – ourselves, our families, our relationships, our societies and our nations. Modern participatory Democracy is an attempt to implement what the Bible mandates its followers. Sadly, the church is anything but what the LORD wants it to be. We have become corrupt, just like Israel…the chosen people…and have violated every law that the LORD ever gave. History stands witness to the church, and the ‘Christian nations.’

May we, during these days of national celebration of, FREEDOM from foreign rule, reflect upon what the LORD is asking of us, and what the Bible instructs us. Not merely reflect, but let us seek to implement it dispassionately, even if it hurts us, and our interests. This is when the LORD is honoured, and we truly live for our LORD’s glory.