by John Holbrook Jr.
A Biblical View, Blog #117 posted August 25, 2020, edited March 10, 2021.
On October 15, 1950, President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur met on Wake Island to discuss the Korean War. When General MacArthur treated President Truman with disrespect, the president severely rebuked the general and then said, ‘I don’t care what you think of Harry S. Truman, but don’t you ever again show disrespect for the President of the United States.’ Here, Mr. Truman demonstrated a clear understanding of the importance of giving people in authority the respect due their office. Moreover, he had the support of Holy Scripture:
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but from God; the powers that be are ordained by God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and those who resist shall receive for themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same, for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Therefore ye must be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (KJ21 Romans 13:1-7)
This principle was drilled into me while I was on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. I and every other marine were required by custom to salute our superior officers and address them as “sir” whether or not we thought that they personally deserved it. We did so willingly because we understood that, when we did so, we ensured that our Corps could function as a fraternal unit – i.e. a band of brothers. We would overcome adversity together.
When someone disrespects, let alone vilifies, a public official – particularly the occupant of the highest office in the land – he is hurting our country because he is impeding the official’s attempt to govern as best he can. In addition, he is sowing seeds of disunity and hatred that will soon bear evil fruit. If he does not like the way the official governs, he should cast his vote for someone else at the next election.
Unfortunately, our two most recent presidents have set poor examples in this respect.
President Donald Trump regularly attaches nicknames to his adversaries, like Rocket Man or Pocahontas. These nicknames ridicule their subjects, and they are all the more deadly because they are funny and stick like glue. Alas, whenever I see one of them on TV, I remember the person’s nickname and chuckle.
In a nationally broadcast speech on August 20, 2020, former president Barack Obama made the following comment regarding his successor, a sitting president. “I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously, that he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care. But he never did. For close to four years now, he has shown no interest in putting in the work.” The irony of this particular comment is that Mr. Obama has spent the last four years working tirelessly to make it as impossible for Mr. Trump to do his job as possible.
These public displays of disrespect for a public official are exactly the kind of behavior for which President Truman rebuked General MacArthur, and which I identified in my blog last week, Veto Voting, as the 8th criterion that dissuades me from voting for a candidate for public office, particularly the office of the President of the United States.
One of the hallmarks of honorable men and women is the ability to control their tongues. All of us are tempted to lash out at others on a regular basis, but the Holy Scripture warns:
… we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a great fire, a world of unrighteousness” (ESV James 3:2-6).
If we wish to leave our country in the hands of honorable men and women, we must show our children and grandchildren how to behave honorably. We must bridle our tongues and give public officials the honor and respect which are due them.
© 2020 John Holbrook Jr.
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