Christians and Public Service (3)

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. Genesis 39.1

Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. Daniel 1.19

A stage with many tiers
Our tendency, when we think about public service, is to bring to mind those most visible public servants, our elected officials, and especially those who serve at a national level. Presidents, Senators, Representatives – these are perhaps what most of us think of when the idea of public service comes to mind.

This is only to be expected, since these are the people the national media tend to thrust before our eyes most of the time.

But the public service arena is a stage with many tiers. It includes elected officials at various levels – local, county, state, and national – as well as those who serve them and those who help to put them in office.

While every opportunity for public service can be a calling from the Lord, not all such callings are financially rewarding or involve much in the way of public visibility. Serving in a political campaign, for example, is typically the work of dedicated volunteers. Most of us who sense a call to public service are not likely to end up on the visible tiers of the public service arena. Yet even those who do will likely have to work their way up, beginning where they can and serving as they are able.

Effective at all levels
The lesson of both Joseph and Daniel is that effective public service can be rendered at all levels, and if we begin where we can, and are faithful, God can open further doors for broader service.

Joseph began his work as a public servant in the Egyptian empire in a rather inauspicious manner. Sold by his brothers into slavery, he was taken to Egypt and sold to an official of Pharaoh’s court. Potiphar made Joseph his personal house servant, attending to whatever domestic duties were appointed to him in making Potiphar’s life a little easier and more orderly.

His second position as a public servant in Egypt was a step down even from that, as the situation with Potiphar’s wife landed him unjustly in prison. But even there, Joseph made the most of his opportunities for serving the Lord.

It’s not entirely clear what Daniel and his three friends were impressed to do in the service of King Nebuchadnezzar. The phrase, “competent to stand in the king’s palace” (Dan. 1.4), may suggest some merely token presence – a way of mollifying the captive Israelites. It was often the practice of kings to bring representatives of subject peoples into their court simply to have a presence there, in an effort to assimilate or at least placate those they had conquered. Alexander the Great was perhaps the best known practitioner of this tactic in the ancient world.

Or perhaps Daniel and his friends were to be available for some “gopher” duty on behalf of the king or his court – whatever they may have required at any moment – or as liaisons with the Hebrew captives.

Get involved where you can
Believers may seek a calling from the Lord at any level of public service, as volunteers or paid professionals, for the short-term or as a career. Those who feel inclined to such a calling should begin where they can, by contacting local political officials or looking for opportunities either for employment or to volunteer. Now that campaigning has become a year-round sport for public officials, there will always be opportunities for believers to get on board in the public service arena with a party or official, or in a post or position, in line with their particular interests and concerns.

Know your convictions, and don’t fear to make them known, as your ability to “minister for good” should be the driving force for your involvement.

Seek a clear vision from the Lord as to how you might be able to make a contribution to helping government fulfill its divinely-appointed mandate.

Resolve not to compromise your convictions, and take up whatever opportunity is presented as though it were the most important thing you might do at the moment to serve the public weal.

For that is surely what it will be.

For reflection
1.      Choose a politician you like. Using Wikkipedia and other sources, see what you can find out about how he or she became involved in public service. In how many different “tiers” of service has this person been involved?

2.      Contact a local representative of one of the major political parties. See what you can find out about available opportunities for service and what they require.

3.      Do you agree that Christians should be seeking a calling from the Lord, even in the lowest tiers of the public sector? Why or why not? What might you do to encourage more Christian involvement at these levels?

Next steps: Where might a Christian in your community begin to get involved in public service? See what you can find out, then share your findings with some Christian friends. Pray together about whether God might want you to become involved in public service.

T. M. Moore

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This week’s study, Christians and Public Service, is part 4 of a 5-part series on The King’s Heart, a Biblical view of government and politics, and is available as a free download by clicking here. We cannot understand God’s view of government, or how to function in a political environment apart from faith in King Jesus and His rule. Order T. M.’s books The Kingship of Jesus  and The Ground for Christian Ethics to supplement our studies of God and government.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.