What kind of actions of leaders do you think God blesses?

Psalm 106:3/ Psalm 118:9/Matthew 5:1-12

I suppose the answer is

an action

that serves

the common good

of all.

As the psalmist wrote:

“Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.”

But can a God

who is uncompromising

in His love

of the world

and

His expectation

of His people

to return His love

with

all their being

bless

a political act

that requires a

dance of egos

agendas

and

the give and take of

compromise?

As the psalmist wrote,

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.”

O Lord,

on the mount

You told us

who were

to be blessed.

The meek.

Those seeking righteousness.

The pure of heart.

The peacemakers

and

the persecuted.

Help me

understand

the actions

of Your Kingdom.

The Bramble King

 

Parable of the Trees

Judges 9:7-15 NIV

The trees hoped

they could be

ruled

with honor

by the olive tree.

Or

with the sweetness

of good times

by the fig tree.

Or

comforted

by

the strength of

the vine.

But to

the olive tree,

the fig tree,

and

the vine,

governing

the forest

was

beneath them.

It was

effortless

for them

to produce

what

the world wanted.

But to

deal with

their community

with its

petty squabbles,

their

problems,

and

divisive

politics,

they worried

it would

sap all

their strength.

　

　

　

So,

after being rejected by

the olive tree,

the fig tree,

and

the vine,

the trees of the forest asked

the bramble

“Why should you be our leader?”

“First,”

the bramble said,

“Unlike

the olive tree,

the fig tree

and

the vine,

I produce nothing.

I must rely on your support.

“Next,

unlike

the olive tree,

the fig tree

and

the vine,

whose roots grow deep and stubborn,

my roots are shallow.

You must allow me to

compromise

so we can survive.”

“And finally,

unlike

the olive tree,

the fig tree

and

the vine,

you can

live under

my thorns.”

“And if push comes to shove,

let my branches

become the

tinder

to start

the fires of war.”

So began the reign

of the Bramble King.

　

Justice versus Mercy

2 Esdras 8:37-45 CEB

The angel said:

A farmer sows

many seeds

in the ground,

yet not all that

was sown

will take root

or be harvested.

So all that were

sown to the world

will not be saved.

Ezra replied:

If a seed does not come up

because of drought

or deluge

it perishes.

But Lord,

people are created by Your hands

and are made in Your image.

The question I ask is:

Have You made them

like the farmer’s seed?

Please, Lord!

Surely not!

Spare Your people!

Please have mercy

on Your own creation.