Day 4: Government

Pray 

Dear God, make love the rule of my life. Help me use my position in the government to carry out your higher Law: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Amen. 

Read

Romans 13:1-2

Galatians 5:13-15

Reflect

In the Old Testament, God established an intricate system of laws for Israel to follow. These laws helped the people live in relationship with God and one another. They provided order and structure. They enabled ragtag humans to interact with a holy God. While detailed and at times complicated, Paul tells us here that the Law can actually be summed up quite simply: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Loving others as ourselves orders our actions. It brings structure to chaos. We are no longer living like wild animals and driven by lustful desires. Paul says even the things he wants to do he cannot carry out (Romans 7:15)! Instead, we have a rule that keeps us all free to love God and to live fully under God’s reign. God’s way is better than our ways—it brings shalom, wholeness, and flourishing. 

God’s Law affects how we live in the world. Paul tells the church: respect your authorities! Don’t bring judgment on yourself! Before his conversion, Paul used his authority to persecute Jesus’s followers. Now he says the government exists through God’s authority—and can be used for God’s purposes.

As civil servants, you can use government structures to carry out God’s higher Law: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” You can actively engage in God’s shalom—wholeness, peace. You can bring order to chaos, hold people accountable to ethical standards, enforce laws that protect the vulnerable and oppressed. You can help us live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven even while we are wayfarers on earth. 

Respond 

Who in your life is difficult to love? This may be a coworker, supervisor, or family member. It may be people you encounter on the field—a perpetrator, those in a particular neighborhood, even people from a certain culture. Talk with God about this. Confess your struggle to love this person or people. Ask God to help you follow the higher Law and love your neighbor as yourself. When you notice negative thoughts or feelings about others, take a moment to say a brief prayer. “God, help me love this person as I love myself. We are both made in your image.”