Soon we will have the privilege of voting in a federal election. It is a time for reflection about the processes of government in our country.
We should be grateful to God for the democratic institutions under which we live. However much we may be critical and long for improvement, the fact of the matter is that we are well off. The rule of law, the right to vote, freedom of speech and religion, access to our parliamentarians, the clear obedience of the police and armed forces to the democratically elected government – these and many blessings should not be taken for granted.
Despite our frequent cynicism about the actual running of government and the public service, we should actually be grateful for the quality of service we receive. Bad government, and particularly corrupt government causes immense misery and suffering throughout the world. On the tests of effectiveness, transparency and honesty, we do relatively well (for details of our international standing see the website of Transparency International).
In fact, cynicism can be self-defeating. If we expect bad service and corruption we will foster an attitude where such things are expected. Certainly we should not be naïve. As Christians we know that human beings are sinful and willing to exploit the weaknesses of others. But we should have an expectation of honesty and justice in public life. We need to be careful about parties, candidates and policies which endanger these fundamental values.
We should be thankful for these blessings, but we cannot take them for granted. Our public life could be improved.
The Bible calls upon us to pray for governments, and I know that this is a duty which Christians take seriously. I am glad to say that most of the church services I attend throughout the Diocese adhere to this biblical injunction. I hope that our gatherings always have this element since it is explicitly laid down for us in scripture (1 Timothy 2:1f).
The quality of a government is related to the moral and spiritual health of a community. Laws can only be effective as long as the vast majority of citizens keep them voluntarily. That is why such basic virtues as self-control, justice, truthfulness, patience and love for others are of such importance for the well-being of society. These virtues challenge us to care deeply about such issues as refugees, the environment and the situation in Iraq.
It is gratifying also to see the major parties paying more attention to marriage and family issues, education and human relationships. We will be looking with great interest to see what policies emerge in these areas. Governments can do a great deal to foster the spiritual and moral health of our community – they can also damage it.
As Christians we have a legitimate interest in whether a government – or individual candidates – are likely to support the pattern of life which the Bible sets before us as important for human well-being.
Play your part in this election with thankfulness, diligence and wisdom!