"The Lenses of Reformation Concerning Righteous Civil Action and the Pandemic"
by Dr. Patti Amsden
by Dr. Patti Amsden
All people create their outside worlds consistently with their inside worlds. The beliefs inside give the grid work or paradigms upon which everyone constructs his or her thoughts. Jesus said that “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Lk.6:45).
Reformation lens #1 – Words provide the vehicle through which a person reveals the thoughts inside of his or her heart.
Good and evil hearts are revealed by every way people speak. Words are only one form of communication. People communicate their heart’s story by talking, through body language, and by the choices that they make. Artists express their stories on canvas, through dance, or through drama. Some entrepreneurs gain money and power in their desire to amass personal fortunes while other business moguls gain money and power to become social benefactors or altruists.
Reformation lens #2 – Actions provide the vehicle through which a person reveals the thoughts inside of his or her heart.
Scripture says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:23). That proverb holds true because out the heart is the container and the headwaters for every issue of life (Prov. 4:24). Words and works, vocabulary and vocations, paradigms and productivity cannot be isolate from each other. A man’s heart is revealed by everything he says and does. Government officials do not escape this undeniable reality. Civil rulers demonstrate the beliefs they hold by the legislation they enact.
Reformation lens #3 – The hearts of Illinois leaders are revealed by the policies they legislate and by the practices they demonstrate as they handle the state’s crisis.
The higher on the mountain of government leader ranks, the more his or her policies and decisions will affect those that are under the governance of that leader. Whatever house the leader creates produces the structure in which the citizens are forced to abide. Righteous leaders develop civil policies that release life to the culture. Unrighteous civil rulers create constructs that discharge death.
Reformation lens #4 – Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.”
As reformers, we must observe and analyze the actions of our civil leaders. This can be done without a critical or condemning heart but with a wise and discerning eye. When the unrighteous create a society based upon their corrupt practices, reformers must speak up as humble proponents of truth. Reformers must seek to support godly legislators and godly legislation.
Reformation lens #1 – Words provide the vehicle through which a person reveals the thoughts inside of his or her heart.
Good and evil hearts are revealed by every way people speak. Words are only one form of communication. People communicate their heart’s story by talking, through body language, and by the choices that they make. Artists express their stories on canvas, through dance, or through drama. Some entrepreneurs gain money and power in their desire to amass personal fortunes while other business moguls gain money and power to become social benefactors or altruists.
Reformation lens #2 – Actions provide the vehicle through which a person reveals the thoughts inside of his or her heart.
Scripture says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:23). That proverb holds true because out the heart is the container and the headwaters for every issue of life (Prov. 4:24). Words and works, vocabulary and vocations, paradigms and productivity cannot be isolate from each other. A man’s heart is revealed by everything he says and does. Government officials do not escape this undeniable reality. Civil rulers demonstrate the beliefs they hold by the legislation they enact.
Reformation lens #3 – The hearts of Illinois leaders are revealed by the policies they legislate and by the practices they demonstrate as they handle the state’s crisis.
The higher on the mountain of government leader ranks, the more his or her policies and decisions will affect those that are under the governance of that leader. Whatever house the leader creates produces the structure in which the citizens are forced to abide. Righteous leaders develop civil policies that release life to the culture. Unrighteous civil rulers create constructs that discharge death.
Reformation lens #4 – Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.”
As reformers, we must observe and analyze the actions of our civil leaders. This can be done without a critical or condemning heart but with a wise and discerning eye. When the unrighteous create a society based upon their corrupt practices, reformers must speak up as humble proponents of truth. Reformers must seek to support godly legislators and godly legislation.
