Obadiah

 October 16, 2021

It’s no news to anyone that we live in an age of political polarization. Our ability to meet in the middle has all but disappeared as we fear giving an inch lest the other side take a mile. It’s just a fact of modern political life. What is really sad however, is how this winner take all attitude has infiltrated the Church. I’ve watched as people have left the church, offended because the pastor inadvertently said something they interpreted as politically charged from the other side than their own. Loyalty to Christ has been replaced by loyalty to a political platform.

I wonder what Obadiah and Elijah thought of each other. Obadiah loved the LORD, even to the point of sheltering 100 prophets queen Jezebel was intent on murdering. Having already massacred a bunch of them, she had proven she was no slouch when it came to carrying out threats. Obadiah had taken his life in his own hands to provide for them, especially since he was overseer of king Ahab’s palace. He rubbed elbows with corruption in high places daily.

Elijah on the other hand, was openly defiant of the king, and as such, had a price on his head. I can imagine Elijah thinking Obadiah couldn’t possibly be loyal to God when serving such despicable God-haters as Ahab and Jezebel. And when Elijah decided to present himself to Ahab, he found Obadiah and told him to tell Ahab to get ready to meet him. Obadiah was suspicious, and worried that Elijah would skip town, igniting Ahab’s ire and bringing down destruction on his own head.

It’s hard to see someone on the other side of the political aisle as having any semblence of faithfulness. I’ve read enough and listened enough to people on both sides to recognize the suspicion in their voices. “How can a genuine Christian possibly support that lying womanizer Trump?” “How could a genuine Christian support lying Biden who supports the killing of preborn babies?”

I have my own questions, but I also know people whose integrity I trust even if I don’t trust their judgment. I have questions about their positions on various political matters, but the real question ought to be directed to myself: “Am I willing to trust that the person with whom I disagree may just happen to be serving God in a difficult and precarious place?” Am I willing to believe that Obadiah, serving the wicked Ahab, is God’s man for the hour?