The Personal Qualities of Those Who Govern

[Donnie Gillum]

Hmmm…can we learn from the world?  Here is a quote I happened across (from an author whose works I have never read).  I’m reminded of the latter portion of Luke 16:8 “… for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”

This statement is very revealing and I’m sure I have seen situations (in apostolic circles) where, had this bit of wisdom been observed, the results would have been much better.   There are definitely some valuable gleanings in this quote.  What are your thoughts?

Quote: "Good government never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery. The most important element of government, therefore, is the method of choosing leaders." - From the Sci-Fi author, Frank Herbert: (Underline and bold emphasis mine -DG) 

 

[Mike R. Prevost]

For the Founders, there was not a quality more important than virtue.  The nation would succeed or fail based on the whether or not a virtuous people elected virtuous representatives.  And they could not conceive of a virtuous people that was not also religious.  This is because our form of government is self-government.  To the extent we do not govern ourselves, both privately and publicly, we require tyrants.

 

However, consider this:

 

Mat 23:1-7,15 KJV Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, {2} Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: {3} All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. {4} For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. {5} But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, {6} And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, {7} And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. [...] {15} Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

 

These were not virtuous leaders.  They made unnecessary, unscriptural, and damaging rules that God never intended, yet Jesus told the people to obey them because they "sit in Moses seat".  He goes on to reveal that these religious rulers were not even saved (they were children on hell, vs 15), yet they were still to be obeyed.  

 

Very troubling passage.  Definitely not American.