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I love the Psalms

~ Connecting daily with God through the Psalms

I love the Psalms

Tag Archives: politicians

Sharp Tongues and Cruel Words

25 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 64, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

cruel words, lies, politicians, power of the tongue, social media, tongue

Reading: Psalm 64
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.
Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
they shoot suddenly, without fear.
They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?”
They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!”
Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.
But God will shoot them with his arrows;
they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.
The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him;
all the upright in heart will glory in him!
(NIV)

img_20190420_1951370

Beached tree trunk, Tsawwassen Beach, BC — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
I originally wrote this post in the final days of an election campaign here in Canada. In the context of an election, the words of this psalm have a peculiar resonance. Politicians’ tongues have been sharpened like swords. Cruel words have been aimed at opponents like deadly arrows. The airwaves are saturated with lies, propaganda and half-truths coming from all sides.

Rest easy, dear reader, I’m not about to take sides in a political debate. But Psalm 64 contains some important truths that we would be wise to heed.

First, our tongues have deadly power. The poison of vipers is in the tongue. (See Psalm 140:3.) Many young people have taken their own lives because of the taunting of others. Social media has only worsened the situation, since one can now mount an attack from a distance. The venom that is often spewed in website comment boxes is beyond disgusting. The cruelty and depravity of the human heart are on full display. As the psalmist, David says, “Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.” 

So then guard the thoughts of your heart and mind. Take care what you put into print. It can have a profound effect for good or evil. Cruel words can be as deadly as a missile strike. The LORD is our refuge from cruel taunts, but He also is our judge, when we launch a verbal or written attack.

Response: LORD God, help me to use wisdom and discretion in all I say, write or post. You are the judge of every idle word. Holy Spirit, guard my heart and my mind. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been the victim of social media attacks? How did you respond?

Cruel Words

29 Wednesday Nov 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 64, Psalms

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

cruel words, depravity, election, politicians, power of words, propaganda, social media, suicide, the LORD, tongue

Reading:                                         Psalm 64

For the director of music. A psalm of David.
Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.
Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
they shoot suddenly, without fear.
They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?”
They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!”
Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.
But God will shoot them with his arrows;
they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.
The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him;
all the upright in heart will glory in him!
(NIV)

Reflection
I originally wrote this post in the final days of an election campaign here in Canada. In the context of an election, the words of this psalm have a peculiar resonance. Politicians’ tongues have been sharpened like swords. Cruel words have been aimed at opponents like deadly arrows. The airwaves are saturated with lies, propaganda and half-truths coming from all sides.

2017-11-11 Liz Kranz

A late November morning — photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

Rest easy, dear reader, I’m not about to take sides in a political debate. But Psalm 64 contains some important truths that we would be wise to heed.

First, our tongues have deadly power. The poison of vipers is in the tongue. (See Psalm 140:3.) Many young people have taken their own lives because of the taunting of others. Social media has only worsened the situation, since one can now mount an attack from a distance. The venom that is often spewed in website comment boxes is beyond disgusting. The cruelty and depravity of the human heart are on full display. As the psalmist, David says, “Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.” 

So then guard the thoughts of your heart and mind. Take care what you put into print. It can have a profound effect for good or evil. Cruel words can be as deadly as a missile strike. The LORD is our refuge from cruel taunts, but He also is our judge, when we launch a verbal or written attack.

Response: LORD God, help me to use wisdom and discretion in all I say, write or post. You are the judge of every idle word. Holy Spirit, guard my heart and my mind. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been the victim of social media attacks? How did you respond?

Praising the Trusted Word

13 Monday Nov 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 56, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

David, election, election campaigns, God, God's word, Grey Nuns Park, meditate, misery, Orleans, politicians, praise, scandal, tears, the cross, the LORD, trust, trust in God, voter

Reading:                                       Psalm 56

 (Verses 8-13)
Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll—
are they not in your record?
Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the L
ORD, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life
(NIV).

Reflection
Psalm 56 is a relatively short psalm. Yet in this short psalm, David repeats the phrase ‘whose word I praise’ three times. In today’s reading he states, “In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.”

GN Park Path 2014-10-27 (2)

Light my path, Lord — Grey Nuns Park, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

For me this phrase raises a question. Whose word do I praise? Do I praise God’s word? Do I appreciate and value the written word of God? Have I made it my refuge as it was for David? Is it my sustenance? Do I feed on it daily? While fasting in the wilderness Jesus answered the tempter, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).

Do you trust the living, active word of God to help you today and every day? Trust really is crucial. If I don’t trust that God’s word will help, encourage, correct and sustain me, I won’t bother reading it or meditating on it. I’ll trust in my own abilities or seek direction from other sources.

Trust is crucial in election campaigns. During such campaigns politicians from a variety of parties make their pitch to the electorate. Again the fundamental question for each voter is whose word, do you trust? Politicians often promise more than they can deliver. Often I have been let down by a politician who promised to do things differently, but once in office failed to deliver, or became caught up in scandal after scandal. I presume the same disappointment holds true for many voters.

We need to remember that salvation won’t ever be achieved at the ballot box. It was achieved at the cross—only at the cross. The remedy for my sin is found there. The living word of God reminds us of that trustworthy, unchanging truth.

Response: LORD God, I put my trust in your word. I praise your life-giving word for it is good and completely trustworthy. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path (Psalm 119:105). Amen.

Your Turn: Do you make it your habit to read and meditate on the word of God?

Life after politics—Retired or Inspired?

02 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by davidkitz in News Reports, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

David Kilgour, human rights, Jack Murta, persecution, politicians, politics

SwissParliament-718x447_c

David Kilgour (right) stands with colleagues in front of the Swiss Parliament after a presentation on how the Chinese Government is killing members of Falun Gong to harvest their organs. Screenshot from http://www.david-kilgour.com

David Kitz
Spur Ottawa Correspondent

Have you ever wondered how former politicians spend their time? The media often portrays retired politicians as simply living the good life on a gold-plated government pension.

Some retired politicians, however, put their time and energy into serving the Lord. David Kilgour and Jack Murta are examples of two retired members of parliament who are actively engaged in a higher calling. In one form or another they are working in the service of the King.

Both men have occupied seats at the cabinet table, but now once a week at noon you can find them waiting on tables, serving the homeless at the Union Mission.

“It’s one thing I always look forward to,” Kilgour states with obvious enthusiasm. “It keeps me grounded.”

“I have made this my prayer,” Murta adds, “Lord, help me to love you more, because if I love you more, I will love others more. I need to live out that prayer wherever I go.”

Murta served as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for the Manitoba riding of Lisgar from 1970 to 1988. In the Mulroney government of the mid 1980’s, he served first as Minister of State for Multiculturism and later as Minister of State for Tourism.

“Security waves us through saying ‘Ah, it’s the Happy Gang!’”

“I admit I was quite disillusioned with politics by the end. It’s not an easy life—the constant travel and pressures of office.”

After leaving politics, Murta did not return to Ottawa until 2003. It was a man from across the aisle, David Kilgour, who welcomed Murta back. “For the first few weeks I stayed with David and Laura.”

What drew Murta back to Ottawa was his involvement in the Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast. For many years he has been the guiding hand behind the weekly prayer meetings among members of parliament.

“I see this as my vocation now,” he states with calm conviction.

But in his modest way Murta disagrees with the term “guiding hand.”

“It’s really the Lord who does the guiding.”

The group meets on Parliament Hill at 7:00 on Wednesday mornings. Every week, Murta picks up Kilgour and two or three current members of parliament on the way there.

“When we arrive on the Hill, security looks through the window of the car and waves us through. ‘Ah, it’s the Happy Gang!’ they always say.

“Most mornings we have from 20 to 25 MPs in the room—across all party lines. In addition to that we have a prayer meeting for parliamentary staffers at noon. That’s usually a younger set—in their twenties or thirties.”

“An estimated 80 percent of the persecution of faith communities around the world today is done to Christians. That’s a good part of what motivates me to speak out.”

Though David Kilgour actively participates with Murta, his primary area of service and expertise is in a different field.

He was first elected to the House of Commons in 1979 for an Edmonton riding and continued to serve in that role through seven elections, until 2006. In the Chretien government from 1997-2002, he served as Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa. Then from 2002-2003 he served as the Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific.

It’s this broad international experience that Kilgour draws on as he presses for human rights around the world.

“An estimated 80 percent of the persecution of faith communities around the world today is done to Christians. That’s a good part of what motivates me to speak out, but we all need to do it on a united, interfaith front. The cause is any persecuted religious or cultural group.”

Kilgour is active in a number of international organizations which promote democracy and human rights. For him this means a good deal of travel as he speaks on these topics in various world capitals. In January his advocacy work took him to Tbilisi, Georgia.

Earlier this month he spoke at Queens University at a conference organized by the Christian Legal Fellowship. His topic was “Should Christians Speak out on Human Rights?”

But Kilgour does more than give speeches and chair committees. He also has written a number of books. In 2009, along with lawyer and human rights advocate David Matas, he wrote Bloody Harvest: The Killing of Falun Gong for their Organs. For their work Kilgour and Matas won the 2009 Human Rights Prize from the International Society for Human Rights, in Switzerland.

On April 2, David Kilgour will be the plenary speaker at the Ottawa Christian Writers Conference.

“C. S. Lewis called himself God’s terrier. I like to think of myself that way too,” Kilgour says with a grin. “If freedom of religion exists in a country, other freedoms, such as freedom of speech and association will usually exist too.”

Perhaps the examples of Kilgour, Murta, and others like them can help restore the public’s perception of the retired political class.

Aiming Cruel Words

15 Thursday Oct 2015

Posted by davidkitz in Devotionals, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

comment boxes, election, politicians, power of words, social media, words

Reading:                                            Psalm 64

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
they shoot suddenly, without fear.

They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?”
They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!”
Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;
they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.

The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him;
all the upright in heart will glory in him!
(NIV).

Reflection

I am writing this post in the final days of an election campaign here in Canada. In the context of an election, the words of this psalm have a peculiar resonance. Politicians’ tongues have been sharpened like swords. Cruel words have been aimed at opponents like deadly arrows. The airwaves are saturated with lies, propaganda and half-truths coming from all sides.

Be a bridge builder with words. --David Kitz

Be a bridge builder with words. –David Kitz

Rest easy, dear reader, I’m not about to take sides in a political debate. But Psalm 64 contains some important truths that we would be wise to heed.

First, our tongues have deadly power. The poison of vipers is in the tongue. Many young people have taken their own lives because of the taunting of others. Social media has only worsened the situation, since one can now mount an attack from a distance. The venom that is often spewed in website comment boxes is beyond disgusting. The cruelty and depravity of the human heart are on full display. As the psalmist, David says, “Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.”

So then guard the thoughts of your heart and mind. Take care what you put into print. It can have a profound effect for good or evil. The LORD is our refuge from cruel taunts, but He also is our judge.

Response: LORD God, help me to use wisdom and discretion in all I say, write or post. You are the judge of every idle word. Holy Spirit, guard my heart and my mind. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been the victim of social media attacks? How did you respond?

45.421530 -75.697193

Whose word do you praise?

04 Tuesday Aug 2015

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 56, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

ballot box, Canada, David, David Kitz, election, God's word, politicians, salvation, sin, trust, voters

Reading:                                          Psalm 56

 (Verses 8-13)

Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll—
are they not in your record?
Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.

In God, whose word I praise,
in the L
ORD, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?

 I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life
(NIV).

Reflection

Psalm 56 is a relatively short psalm. Yet in this short psalm, David repeats the phrase ‘whose word I praise’ three times. In today’s reading he states, “In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.”

For me this phrase raises a question. Whose word do I praise? Do I praise God’s word? Do I appreciate and value the written word of God? Have I made it my refuge as it was for David? Is it my sustenance? Do I feed on it daily? While fasting in the wilderness Jesus answered the tempter, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).

The Bread of Life --David Kitz

The Bread of Life — David Kitz

Do you trust the living, active word of God to help you today and every day? Trust really is crucial. If I don’t trust that God’s word will help, encourage, correct and sustain me, I won’t bother reading it or meditating on it. I’ll trust in my own abilities or seek direction from other sources.

On the weekend an election was called here in Canada. Politicians from a variety of parties are making their pitch to the electorate. Again the fundamental question for each voter is whose word, do you trust? Politicians frequently promise more than they can deliver. Often I have been let down by a politician who promised to do things differently, but once in office failed to deliver, or became caught up in scandal after scandal. I presume the same disappointment holds true for many voters.

We need to remember that salvation won’t ever be achieved at the ballot box. It was achieved at the cross—only at the cross. The remedy for my sin is found there. The living word of God reminds us of that trustworthy, unchanging truth.

Response: LORD God, I put my trust in your word. I praise your life-giving word for it is good. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you make it your habit to read and meditate on the word of God?

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