Chuck Roots
13 February 2017
www.chuckroots.com
For Such A Time
Down through
recorded history, the leaders we so often admire are the ones who lead their
troops into battle. These leaders may be generals, princes, kings or any
variety of similar titles. But one thing is certain: The leader is beloved by
those who follow for one simple reason – the leader leads from the front. The
leader is willing to face the slings and arrows along with his troops. The
leader says, “Follow me!” Such leaders are warriors!
One thing
is certain when looking for leaders. From the President to the 100 members of
the Senate to the 435 members of the House of Representatives to the nine
Supreme Court Justices (currently eight), there are precious few among this
cabal who are true leaders. Oh, they talk pretty, promising the moon with all
their campaigning and fund-raising. It always comes across as so much empty
talk.
For the
past eight years, I have volunteered my time in serving the Republican Party in
my area. I’m also a member of the Government Relations Committee of the Ripon
Chamber of Commerce. This has allowed me to meet a number of our elected
representatives and candidates for office, both Democrat and Republican. Most
are very nice, willing to “press the flesh” and smile. But what I have
attempted to stress, when the occasion presents itself, is to look them in the
eye and say, “Do the right thing!”
Americans
love strong, no nonsense leaders who will face the fire, be it in combat, or in
the Halls of Congress. I believe this is why Representative Trey Gowdy of South
Carolina has become a hero to many because of his dogged determination in
pursuing the truth about Benghazi and other shady and highly questionable shenanigans
perpetrated on the American people. If our political leaders simply told the
truth, folks might think better of them. Instead, the embarrassing numbers of
trust in Congress, which has gone on for decades, hovers in the single digits.
As I have
written before, I was no fan of Mr. Trump until late in the game when he surprisingly
became the Republican nominee for president. Several things took place in mid-summer
which had a profound effect on me. First was the promises he was making to the
American people as to what he was going to do to make America great again once
elected. His often crude and brash manner notwithstanding, he was addressing
boldly those issues that mattered most to we the people. It resonated across
the fruited plain, particularly in “flyover country”.
Second, (and
this is what sold me on Trump,) he selected Senator Mike Pence of Indiana as
his VP running mate. Pence is a Christian who lives his faith and isn’t
embarrassed to say so. He is quoted to have said, “I’m a Christian, a Conservative, and a Republican – in that order.”
So is Kellyanne Conway, serving now as Counselor to the President. She makes no
bones about her faith in Jesus. The same can be said about Dr. Ben Carson, the
new Director of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Another strong Christian advising
Mr. Trump throughout the campaign was former governor of Arkansas, Mike
Huckabee. The President’s chief of staff, Reine Preibus, is “known as a
principled, devout Christian.”
The
recently embattled nominee for Attorney General, and now confirmed, Jeff
Sessions, has served in his church in numerous positions of responsibility
throughout his life. Betsy DeVos, the newly appointed Secretary of Education, says
she sees education as “one of the ways
that God advances his kingdom.” Our new Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson,
is considered to be a devout Christian who attends church weekly and teaches
Bible study.
And on it
goes with Scott Pruitt who now runs the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency);
Mike Pompeo, head of the CIA; and Nikki Haley, Ambassador to the United
Nations.
Where
President Trump stands regarding any personal faith in Jesus, I’m not sure that
anyone knows. But he has chosen these folks to be in his cabinet and to serve
in his administration.
Now here’s
the exciting part! I reflect back on the life of Queen Esther in the Bible, a
Jewess whom God used to save her people, the Jews. While in exile in Persia
under the rule of Xerxes the Great, the Jews found themselves being targeted
for extinction with the blessings of Xerxes himself. Esther was unsure of what
to do until her uncle, Mordecai, conveyed these immortal words to her. “Do not think that because you are in the
king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at
this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place,
but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have
come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)
The Bible
records that Esther heroically approached King Xerxes who not only reversed his
prior order to have the Jews wiped out, but that the Jews should be shown
honor.
For quite
a number of years in America there has been a growing hostility toward
Christians and Jews. With the advent of a president who claims no faith that we
know of, he has clearly chosen many of his appointees who are ardently God-fearing
Christians. President Trump has also said he will overturn the Johnson
Amendment of 1954 which was used to muzzle pastors from speaking about political
matters. Additionally, the President has chosen his son-in-law, Jared Kushner,
a Jew, to serve as his Senior Advisor. Mr. Trump is also having the American
Embassy in Israel moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This is historic!
Who knows
but that God has allowed President Trump, a man of no particular religious
faith, to be used to reinvigorate the godly heritage of our nation. And in so doing,
God has strategically placed key men and women of faith who “have come to this royal position for such a
time as this?”
These next
four years should be quite exhilarating! Is God about to do something really
special? I, for one, certainly believe so!
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