THE PRIEST, THE PRESIDENT AND THE PREDICAMENT: A Rubicon moment

Written by Mike Burnard (Analytical Strategist at dia-LOGOS)

When the Bishop of Washington, Bishop Mariann Budde, pleaded with President Donald Trump to show mercy to the marginalised, a Rubicon was crossed. Trump was attending the interfaith Service of Prayer for the Nation on Tuesday 21 January, the day after the presidential inauguration, when Bishop Budde urged Trump to show “mercy” to immigrants and transgender children affected by his policies.

Budde said the following during the service:

“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you, and as you told the nation yesterday you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. “There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives. And the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings. They may not be citizens, or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbours, they are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurdwara and temples. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people “

Many Christians across the globe failed to discern between the message and the messenger, calling Budde a disgrace, a woke preacher, dumb, that she needed to be deported, that she is a Trump-hater, boring and pathetic.

What many missed was the message. And if this was indeed a Biblical message, one that should at least have been considered, it could be a Rubicon moment for the leader of one of the greatest democracies on earth – even more providential than the moment he survived the attempt on his life.

Trump, sadly, in response to the sermon, wrote the following on Truth Social:

“The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!”“

It’s important to note that the prophet Micah did not perceive God as a “prophet-hater” when he was commanded to show mercy and walk humbly. He heeded the message and recognized it as a divine opportunity to change direction for the betterment of the nation.

Sadly, how we view others often reveals more about ourselves than those we observe. Many onlookers struggled to see beyond Bishop Butte to recognize a God of mercy, seeking a people of mercy. It was not a message of condemnation but one of conviction. When a message speaks to our walk with God, we should prioritize the message over the messenger, putting aside our own biases. Our first question should always be: Is it Biblical? Our equally important follow-up should be: Is it Christlike? Once we establish these two pillars, we must align our lives, decisions, and conduct to reflect the God who has spoken to us. Failing to engage in soul-searching is an act of disobedience and is seen as rebellion against God—not against the messenger, but the source.

The words that Bishop Budde spoke, the tone that she used, and the way that she said it was not arrogant, not unbiblical, not confrontational and not un Christlike. It was a plea, equal to the plea in: Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal (o Mr. President), what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Here’s how Dr Tom Constable[1] sums up Micah:

“The Book of Micah consists of three messages. In each one the theme of judgment is prominent, but there is also mention of restoration and a remnant (Micah 2:12, Micah 4;7, Micah 5:7-8, Micah 7:18). Eventually God would restore the Israelites (the USA) to a position of world prominence under their Messiah (what Mr.Trump referred to in his Inauguration Speech as the Golden Age).”

In Micah 6, the chapter we are looking at, we see an imaginary conversation between Israel and God. In Micah 6:1-5 God addresses the disobedient people of Israel. In response we see Israel ask, what shall we do? They want to know how to they can be restored. (Micah 6:6-7)

And this leads us to God’s response to them answering their question. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

What Micah 6:8 Means

Now that we know the context we can better understand the context of the Scripture that Budde referred to. Yes, this scripture applies to Mr.Donald Trump, to his followers, to the Democrats and to .. me and you. Listen to the message

What Does The Lord Require Of You?

Remember the context, they have disobeyed God. God has confronted them and in response they are asking what they shall do. How can they be restored?

In Micah 6:6-7 the Israelites are offering all sorts of sacrifices and things they can do to appease God. But these sacrifices are not what God wants.

In fact God has already told them what he wants, what would be good for them when they sin (Deuteronomy 10:12, Deuteronomy 10:18, 1 Samuel 12:24, Hosea 12:6). What he really desires is a behavioural change, a heart change; he wants his people to listen to what he says.

So what should God’s people do? Here’s what God says:

To Act Justly

We tend to equate justice to social justice today because of how prevalent that ideology has become. And there certainly are crossover elements, but we shouldn’t limit what it means to act justly to simply that.

Micah’s audience would have understood this in a broader sense. To act justly was to act morally and live with a proper sense of right and wrong. It carries with it this idea of not just doing what is popular, but going against the grain to do what God says is best.

This applies to how we treat others and how we live when no one is watching. It is to commit yourself to doing what it is morally right in every circumstance.

This requires actions and not mere lip service. Too many say just things with their words, but fail to actually live justly.

God requires you Mr. President, and your followers to act justly.

To Love Mercy

Both justice and mercy are central to God’s character and you will see both all throughout the Bible. God’s people are expected to show mercy to those around them. .

God is a merciful God who has continually poured out his mercy on his people. He doesn’t give us what we deserve but what we desperately need. And in response we are to love mercy.

Our love for God is shown in how we treat those around us. Jesus tells us that the world should recognize us by our love. And this isn’t just to love those who love us, but to love everyone.

I think we have some work to do. The church as a whole right now isn’t exactly known for love. And if you are a Christian it’s our job to fix it; you should love mercy.

God requires you Mr. President, and your followers to love mercy.

To Walk Humbly With Your God

The reality is we are all broken and hopeless on our own. We are in desperate need of a savior. The problem is many Christians become prideful and feel they are better than others.

But we should instead be humble. We didn’t earn anything, rather God freely gave it to us. To walk humbly means that we should depend on God rather than our own abilities.

To be humble is to recognize that our own abilities fell short; it was God who brought us to where we are. Therefore we shouldn’t be arrogant and rely on ourselves, but rather we should be humble and rely on God.

God requires you Mr. President, and your followers to walk humbly.

Applying Micah 6:8 To Your Life

Micah 6:8 sums up what our faith should look like. In a powerful and succinct verse we see what should be markers for our faith. The reality is following Jesus isn’t just about our beliefs, but primarily our actions. So ask yourself, Am I acting justly? Do I love mercy? Am I walking humbly? Micah 6:8 should spur you to action. These are heart questions that will help you see if you are actively living out our faith. Your beliefs should shape how you live and that’s what this verse challenges us to do. Spend some time thinking and praying about this verse. If you do this your faith will come alive AND people will come to know what Jesus has done for them. So act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.

(1) https://www.rethinknow.org/micah-6-8-meaning/