…You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Mathew 5:44

There is yet another kerfuffle arising from the President’s remarks during last week’s National Prayer Breakfast. He referred to his recent impeachment acquittal (which raised prayerful eyebrows) and later expressed disagreement with one of the speakers, Arthur Brooks, who spoke about reconciliation and forgiving one’s enemies. He said, “Arthur, I don’t know if I agree with you “ and then continued. “I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong. Nor do I like people who say ‘I pray for you’ when they know that’s not so.”

Trump being Trump and people being ever ready to fisticuff , he’s immediately been vilified by the opposition and the media for using a non partisan event for personal revenge against his enemies. He’s also been taken to task by Christian pundits, writers and evangelicals such as Michael Brown and Cal Thomas for not practicing the Christian Gospel of Jesus.

Now, I am not a political writer nor do I wish to ever go in that direction. However, it seems to me that the President’s words as quoted have merit. Using faith to justify what is unjust is not biblical and in itself unrighteous. (Of course that leads into all kinds of quasi theological and secular arguments about what is justice anyway. I’ll leave that to the talking heads.) The promise to pray when there is no commitment to do so is deceptive and shallow. It leaves me cold. I’m with the President on that. And as a point of information, this yearly even has not been without political remarks, as in 2015 under Obama. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obamas-speech-at-prayer-breakfast-called-offensive-to-christians/2015/02/05/6a15a240-ad50-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html. How quickly we forget and have selective memories.

Partisanship aside, the President’s choice of words and his attitude at a prayer event are questionable. Undoubtedly, he needs Holy Spirit for discernment and a lot more of Solomon’s gift of wisdom. But, is it not ironic that the very people who are throwing stones at the President for being hard nosed and unforgiving, who is a flawed person exactly like themselves, rush to judgment and condemn him? If the President has unforgiveness in his heart after the last three years, it is at least a human response. But, somehow, he does not deserve either compassion or forgiveness by the Pharisees. Who among us has not harbored grudges and resentment, even after Jesus came into our lives? I need only think to last week or maybe even last Sunday.

If the President’s responses about forgiveness are un Christian, then it is up to believers to get on our faces before the Lord and intercede. Finally, while we’re eating carpet threads, shall we not also ask God to expand our spiritual mandate to pray, and pray for the very people who cause bitterness in the President’s heart? This is also a part of Jesus’ Great Commission because we believe God can transform every sinner. Our prayer list on the floor may be a long one because it’s likely that those for whom we pray are also causing more than a tad of unforgiveness in ourselves. If not us, then who?

Just saying!