I’m writing to urge you who have expressed an interest in running for a position of leadership. I pray that, like King Solomon, your desire is to sincerely serve and care for the people.1 As a leader, I’m sure you have many excellent ideas and intentions for your constituents. And I appreciate your foresight. However, I continue to believe what the Scripture says: “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”2 I pray that God will keep every promise you made to the people in your memory. After all, it is up to God’s sovereign will whether or not your goals and initiatives are accomplished.3
You will one day be in that position of leadership, and not just because of the people who supported you, but because God placed you there for a reason.4 A moment will come when God will allow you to lead all people regardless of their views or opinions. I’m hoping you’ll lead them without bias or favor. While I understand that skill and competence are advantageous, I also believe that you should rely on God to guide you in godly wisdom.5 This is to keep you from gloating later on about how things went so well because your hand did all of the work.6 The Lord humbled Nebuchadnezzar when he began boasting about what he believed he accomplished.7 Keep in mind that God has the power to remove leaders from their positions.8
Furthermore, the Bible states, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”9 In this text, the term righteousness refers not only to imputed righteousness by faith in Yahweh, but also to actual righteousness based on biblical values.10 It implies that you should uphold not just integrity and honesty, but also the right biblical morals such as the original design for marriage,11 the strengthening of marital union,12 the care of fetal life,13 the protection of the innocent,14 and the support for the needy.15 Everything else is then dependent on the righteousness of a nation’s leaders and citizens, especially when it comes to a country’s long-term economic stability. You will be an example of leadership for our country because all of us, including our youth, will be watching how you rule with the fear of God in your heart.16
I recognize that removing the God of the Bible from the equation makes this impossible. King Solomon, the only human endowed with God’s wisdom to rule, once stated, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.”17 You will observe that in the annals of biblical history, there are only at least eight kings who ruled righteously.18 These kings surrounded themselves with knowledgeable and godly counsel in order to be able to lead properly. I hope this holds true for you as well. Remember that fulfilling Proverbs 29:2 is impossible unless a leader acknowledges the God of the Scripture and walks in His ways.
When the righteous are in authority and become great, the people rejoice;
But when the wicked man rules, the people groan and sigh.19
As a leader, I hope and pray that you would place your trust in Christ, believing that it is only through Him that you will be able to fulfill your responsibility to rule righteously. Many would surely rejoice if this happens. But if the Lord does not place you in a position of leadership, trust that He will use someone else to carry out His plans and purposes instead of you. God is, after all, still supreme.
My respect and prayers are with you as you seek the leadership in our country.20
Let His will be done!
Footnotes:
1 2 Chronicles 1:10-11
2 Proverbs 19:21
3 James 4:13
4 Romans 13:1
5 Proverbs 3:5-6
6 Jeremiah 9:23
7 Daniel 4:30
8 Daniel 2:21
9 Proverbs 14:34
10 The term “righteous” is used in this context to refer to both imputed and practical righteousness. Consider Abraham’s faith in Yahweh, which was credited to him as righteousness (see Genesis 15:6). It is a given that no Israelite will appoint a pagan ruler to the throne. Regrettably, many Israelite kings prefer to reign wickedly rather than govern God’s people justly. This is why they are constantly reminded to uphold righteousness, as they are already righteous in the eyes of Yahweh as a result of their faith in Him. In the New Testament, righteousness is described as something that only God can provide by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And as a righteous follower of Christ, we are accountable for demonstrating this righteousness to the world.
11 Genesis 2:24; 5:2
12 Matthew 19:6
13 Psalms 127:3-5; 139:1-16
14 Isaiah 1:17; Exodus 23:7; Proverbs 31:8-9
15 Proverbs 14:31; Isaiah 58:10
16 2 Samuel 23:3
17 Proverbs 29:2
18 Asa (1 Kings 15:8), Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 15:24), Joash (2 Kings 13:1), Amaziah (2 Kings 12:21), Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:1), Hezekiah (2 Kings 16:20), and Josiah (2 Kings 21:24).
19 Proverbs 29:2 (Amplified Bible)
20 1 Timothy 2:1-4