Philippians
4:22 All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who
belong to Caesar’s household. (NIV)
Throughout my time as a pastor, I have known some
political leaders who were also very fine Christians. Their dedication to the
local community and the people of the region that they represented was a great
witness to both their faith and loyalty to God, as well as to their own folks.
They did not seek to be esteemed or powerful; they only wanted to serve and
build up the community. They were honorable people and dedicated Christians, so
I felt privileged and thankful for what they did and accomplished. Their
witness to Christ and their service to the locals was both a blessing from God
and a great gift to the community. They proved that both politics and religion
can be mixed successfully.
As the apostle Paul signs off on his letter to the
Philippian church, he inserts something that would have been a surprise to the
congregation. He passes on the greetings of those who belong to Caesar’s
household. This was remarkable because it showed that Christianity had actually
penetrated Caesar’s inner circle and close family. Who these people were, we do
not know, but they would have been powerful and influential because of their
close proximity to the Emperor himself. It was a foreshadowing of what would
eventually happen hundreds of years later when Christianity would be sanctioned
by Constantine as the official religion of the whole Roman Empire. From those
tiny seeds of faith that were planted within Caesar’s household in Paul’s time,
Christ’s Spirit grew until it overcame Rome and spread throughout our entire
planet.
I think the lesson that Paul teaches us here is this:
political leaders do not have to ditch their faith in order to be effective. In
fact, what this says to me, is that Christianity can positively influence powerful
people, politicians, and local representatives to make their communities better
places for opportunity and service, strength and growth.
Point to ponder
Who are the local leaders in my community? Am I
willing to pray for them?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray for those people who
represent us locally, regionally, and nationally. We ask that Your Spirit
guides their thoughts and decisions to make our communities better places of
opportunity, harmony, and unity. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in
Knoxville, Tennessee. Come along and join us for worship at 11:00 AM on
Sunday mornings. You will be made most welcome!
Today’s image is one of
John’s latest Pentecost drawings called ‘Spirit Window.’ If you would like to
view a larger version, please click this link: Window.
