Are you sympathetic to politicians? I doubt it

As you begin to break those New Year’s resolutions, it may make you more sympathetic to politicians trying to keep their promises - but I doubt it.

I imagine for some of you politicians are only good for Christmas cracker jokes or as the villains in panto season. In the ‘who do I trust’ league, politicians are always at the bottom, with the only change being who they are joined by (recently, much to the relief of my former colleagues, pollsters replaced car salesman!). So, do you join with the seasonal, perennial mirth and derision?

Well, don’t for 2024. May I invite you to resolve this year to raise your game when it comes to your attitude to politicians, because that’s what God wants of us. As you look through your church programme for the year, how much of it is devoted to church and marriage, but not political authorities? This is despite all three being ordained by God to reflect His character and relationship with us.

How much of your prayer life reflects Paul’s words to Timothy: ‘I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.’

How much of your conversation is ‘seasoned with salt’ when it comes to politics? Of course politicians should be accountable, and duly criticised, when they fall short of godly standards; but the cynicism which pervades much discourse is itself ungodly.

Why don’t you let local MPs know you are praying for them, and get a regular church prayer group going to pray for your MP and all those in authority in your area? Why not get your church to make another New Year’s resolution, to encourage someone to stand for local or national government? It would help authorities as God’s servants to better reflect His character if more of His people were involved. Check out Christians in Politics – www.christiansinpolitics.org.uk – where you can find lots of resources to support your church.

As news filters through of more Conservative MPs deciding not to fight the next election, whilst many may be thinking about their electoral prospects, there is a deeper question about who would really want to go into public life. Social-media trolling and death threats are now commonplace, feeding off a toxic, divisive brand of politics. Yet as Christians we do not have the option of shrugging our shoulders and moving on to a more comfortable place to share our faith. God did not give up on the world, but sent His Son to get stuck into this messed-up world and ‘he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!’ (Phil. 2:7-8). It is this love which compels us into the broken world of politics, which so needs to know the lordship of Christ. To see His compassion rather than indifference, truth rather than lies, service rather than self-interest, humility not conceit, peace rather than conflict. How attractive is such a Christ-like fragrance in the stench of modern politics!

In any event, whoever ends up as MPs walking across Parliament’s Central Lobby by the end of 2024, may they and we be more mindful of the words of Psalm 127:1 which is inscribed on the floor: ‘Unless the Lord builds his house the workers labour in vain.’