IT'S a tough time to be in politics. The task of handing down budget cuts and dealing with the fallout of the GFC, not to mention tricky issues like Australia's asylum seeker policy, carbon tax and uranium trading has made for some pretty unpopular pollies.
The verbiage around state and federal politics is far from flattering. In fact, out elected members get a fair battering.
Readers Digest's annual survey of the most trusted professions this year was telling.
Pollies ranked at number 44 from a field of 45 occupations - right after car salesmen and real estate agents (incidentally, journalists came in at number 40, and telemarketers were at rock bottom).
What are we supposed to do when all confidence in our government seems to be lost?
Pray for its members. I'm not joking.
A sermon by American preacher James Merritt was brought to my attention recently, titled God and Government. He encouraged his audience to pray for leaders, whether we voted for them or not, whether they are Labor, Liberal, Green or independent.
Pray that politicians are endowed with ``divine wisdom that they may know what is right, and have the courage to do what is right''.
There is a seven-verse slab of scripture found in Romans 13, written by Paul to the Jews and Gentiles under Roman rule. None were thrilled with the leaders of the day. Yet Paul's message was insistent (verse 1): ``Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.''
Hard to imagine that all governments - dictators included - have been established by God. But as Merritt pointed out, there are leaders who seem to be ordained by God, his kiss marking their forehead. And there are those whose rule has been ``allowed'' as part of the larger plan.
In the hours before Jesus' crucifixion this point was confirmed.
``You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above,'' Jesus told Pilate, who was having an attack of the guilts (John 19:11).
The people were demanding Jesus be crucified with a passion, yet Pilate was finding it difficult to find offence in Jesus worthy of death. Torturous death.
But sometimes we forget that it took a government that ordered Christ's death for him to be resurrected, a resurrection that in turn enabled direct communion with God. In short, from something bad came something good.
In his book What Good is God? Philip Yancey writes about this wrestle between what we perceive as good and just, and the fruit of experience. The author and journalist recalled asking Chinese Christians - people who lived knowing their faith could send them to prison - ``Do you pray for a change in government?''
``No,'' they replied, ``we assume there will always be persecution. We pray for the strength to bear it.''
I'm not for a minute suggesting we, in democratic society, should roll over.
``We must obey God rather than men,'' Peter and the apostles declared in Acts 5:29.
When there is injustice, immorality, deceit and corruption - we must make a stand. Even if it opposes government - and I realise the contradiction.
Herein lies the delicate balance.
So we must pray. Pray that Nick McKim, Lara Giddings, Will Hodgman and so on will be bestowed with divine wisdom as well as the courage to act upon it.
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