WEDNESDAY'S WORD - MACHIAVELLIAN - Sadell Bradley 8/19/2020

WEDNESDAY'S WORD

MACHIAVELLIAN

Sadell Bradley

08/19/2020

"Machiavelli did believe that it was better to appear to be good than to be good. If you're good, you're just too vulnerable, but if you appear to be good, you get all the benefits plus you can be sneaky and, when necessary, stab someone in the back."

- David Ignatius

WAREHOUSE T-SHIRT FUN-RAISER

We're excited about our new T-Shirts! and our partnership with Home State Threads. For every T-Shirt sold, $10 will go to the Warehouse for Missions. Click here to purchase one of the many styles available. Our goal is to sell 500 T-Shirts to raise $5,000 for AV/Sound renovations in the lower level of our church, and to assist parents of CPS students. Thank you for your continued prayers and support! - Sherman & Sadell

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) was an Italian statesman and political philosopher who is often deemed the father of modern political science. His best-known work, 'The Prince,' advises rulers that the acquisition and effective use of power may necessitate unethical methods. Machiavelli considered political battles, not through a lens of morality, but as though they were a board game with established rules. His experience showed him that politics has always been played with deception, treachery and crime. He also notably said that a ruler who is establishing a kingdom or a republic and is criticized for his deeds, including violence, should be excused when the intention and the result are beneficial. As a result, a ruler must be concerned not only with reputation, but also must be willing to act unscrupulously at the right times. To be MACHIAVELLIAN means that one is prepared to use unethical means to gain an advantage. There's sadly a lot of machiavellian behavior going on right now...from all angles and sides...even from the Church, sadly. It's challenging to feel helpless to overcome or even effectively address it.

"ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY" - LORD ACTON Has what we've seen and heard caused us to argue? to check out? Or to run to the presence of God? Are we in our prayer closets declaring the Word? Every day a new situation defies our faith, hope, love and conviction to live as Kingdom citizens. A Vanity Fair article said rich people are exempt from the affects of COVID-19. They can buy their way out of the repercussions, and their wealth is actually growing! Some charter private planes. Others purchase COVID-19 tests for personal parties. Some are even paying up to 2.6 million for citizenship in countries where the pandemic is not as strong. The ONLY hope the disenfranchised have is the intervention of Jesus Christ! The tables are way too far out of our favor. Summer is usually challenging for cities with gun violence. The stress of the cloistering of America and the economic and political crises we face is exacerbating an already bad situation. Just as a reminder...there is NO political party in the US that espouses all of the values of Jesus. Psalm 37 reminds us: Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness...Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord,They shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

CHECKERS OR CHESS?

 

A MACHIAVELLIAN person believes they're playing chess when everyone else is playing checkers. That may be true. There's so much we don't know, so it might be easy to fool us, but God sees and knows it all and He has the final say. Instead of political power in all of its forms, I choose Romans 16:9 "...to be wise concerning what is good, and simple concerning evil."