Seven Ways to Support Our President (and Other People Who Lead)

President Donald J. Trump took the oath of office on January 20, 2017. The inauguration is an amazing and distinctly American tradition. For just a few moments, the nation stopped to honor something bigger than party or policies. We revered a process articulated in the Constitution and demonstrated in 200 years of precedent that has insured the peaceful transfer of power.

And now it’s over. The dignitaries and marching bands have gone home. Partisans have returned to their corners. Bureaucrats have gone back to their office. So what do the rest of us do now?

Whether you’re a President Trump fan or skeptic, here are seven ways to support our President (and anyone else who leads.)

Pray with confidence.

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, ² for kings and all those who are in authority so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. ³ This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-3

In the providence of God, He places leaders over us. This is how we can pray for them with confidence that God has a plan and that He is working to fulfill His plan through leaders. So we pray for God’s favor, wisdom, and protection for President Trump and his family.

Work together wherever you can.

Every leader has priorities based on personal convictions and the needs of his or her constituency. Those priorities are not always ours, so there are times we sit on the sideline. But there are other opportunities that invite our cooperation. Cooperation in one area is not an endorsement of every area. So we find common ground and work together wherever we can to serve our neighbors.

Celebrate good work.

When someone does something well, we need to say “thank you.” President Trump has made many good appointments and seems willing to step up for the most vulnerable among us. All Christians should celebrate that. Like cooperating, cheering for a leader’s good work is not an endorsement of all of his work. If leaders rarely hear our celebrations, they will never hear our suggestions.

Support the family.

It was beautiful to see President Trump’s family surround him on Inauguration Day. They are not the President, but the decisions of the President will directly affect them both for good and bad. This is true in every arena of leadership. While the family has little input in the decisions, the family must often bear the consequences of those decisions. So we support our leaders by supporting his or her family, by praying for them, and then by honoring the precarious nature of their position.

Speak well on a personal level.

Leaders are vulnerable to every type of criticism. President Bush was criticized for his intellect, President Obama for his name and ears, and now President Trump for his hair and skin tone. While that makes good fodder for late night television, Christians can do better by avoiding the social media disrespect machine, by walking away from fake news, and by refusing to repeat seedy rumors. Our speech should build up our leaders as we show grace toward their humanity.

Stand against bad policies and practices.

Even our favored leaders need to hear the truth. President Trump has tremendous support from evangelicals, but those same evangelicals have a responsibility to speak up against unwise, immoral, or unbiblical policies and practices. We are obligated to remain gracious yet courageous to speak the truth in love, even if it means being ridiculed, misunderstood, or ostracized. Daniel and his three friends in the Old Testament did this as well as anyone. They honored the king, but refused to bow to him. Sometimes that gained them favor, and at other times it threatened even their life. May we be so bold.

Offer better ideas.

Good leaders mute superfluous criticisms, but they tune into great ideas. It could be that leaders mute us because we offer nothing worth hearing. When Joseph stood before Pharaoh to give him the bad news about a coming drought, he then spoke up and offered a solution. Pharaoh listened and Joseph’s influence grew so large he was able to not only save Egypt, but his own people as well. So complain less and then offer well-crafted solutions that might actually help get the job done.

God has put the mantle of leadership on only a few of us. On the rest of us, He has placed the mantle of followership. He requires much of a leader, but He requires no less integrity from a follower. So as our new President takes his place, may we take ours.