quiet lives

It’s striking how misguided our ambitions can be. I’m reminded of the fact that being Christian is really about being counter-cultural, which is quite a bit harder than it sounds. I get it with my brain, but my wandering eyes and fickle heart struggle to be faithful.

Take this, from 1 Timothy 2:1-1 “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

I read it and think, “Right on!” But as I consider what it means, I have a couple of problems with it.

My first problem is that I don’t want to pray for all our leaders, and certainly not to give thanksgiving for them. I’m ambivalent about our president, and feel like both parties have sold out the people for their own power. My trust in our national leadership is as low as it’s been in my life. To pray thankfully for them, and intercede for them, and bring supplications to God on their behalf, is going to be a struggle.

Yet it’s right. What could be better for my loved ones, and the advancement of God’s kingdom, than a stable, peaceful land with a strong economy? These are the leaders we have, and it would be dangerous for me to wish bad for them. Cutting off my nose to spite my face, so to speak.

Which leads to my second problem: I’m supposed to pray for our leaders so that they can bring about the conditions that will let me live a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. I don’t really want that either. My dalliance with our culture makes me want to be important, to climb the corporate ladder, to be recognized and deferred to. Fun sounds better than godliness, and if I’m offended I’d rather be snarky than dignified.

A quiet, peaceful, godly, dignified life. To want that is truly to live differently than most around me. And to pray for leaders I think little of will be hard enough to drive home just how much work such discipleship will be.