Today’s Scripture Reading (February 12, 2017) 2 Kings 21
President Trump is probably most well-known for his speaking of two words – “You’re fired.” One of the real questions behind a Trump presidency was whether or not he could reach out to people who did not support his way of thinking – especially those (like judges and senators and congressman) who he can’t fire. What happens when President Trump has a disagreement with somebody, and his famous two words are not a viable response? It is a question that is currently receiving mixed answers. At times, it looks like Trump might be able to reach consensus with people he disagrees with, but too often he seems to want to go back to his days before the Presidency and just speak those two short words – “You’re fired.”
President Trump is not asking my advice, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have some for him. Rather than reaching back for those two words, why not, in great humility and vulnerability, be willing to ask the question “why” from those with whom you disagree. What changes can we make together that will result in this action being more tolerable? How can we work together to make the United States a safer place – because I do not believe that there is anyone in the world (let alone the United States) that does not agree with that goal. We want the United States (and Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia or South America) to be safe. But that is a goal that we need to work toward together. This process might be termed the hoped for “maturing” of Donald Trump.
Manasseh might have been Donald Trump taken to a ridiculous extreme. Manasseh was not going to bother with Trump’s famous words. According to the author of the Book of Kings, Manasseh shed so much blood that the fluid filled Jerusalem from one end to the author. (Ok, this is a figurative expression for ‘he killed a lot of people.’ He likely didn’t literally fill the city with blood.) To disagree with Manasseh, at least in the early days of his reign, was a very dangerous thing to do. In fact, tradition holds that the Prophet Isaiah, who was likely a relative of Manasseh, was one of the victims of Manasseh’s anger. Manasseh had him sawn in two.
But Manasseh also matured. It took a while, but eventually -
… in his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God (2 Chronicles 33:12-13).
It is a good ending to a violent story. And it reminds me that we all have the ability to change and to mature. Life may not have equipped us for certain tasks and realities, but that does not mean that we can’t learn. In that fact, we can also have hope.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 33
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