America’s capacity for political polarization seems to increase weekly. Elections wracked with mudslinging, legislation that inspires millions to take to the streets in protest, and Supreme Court decisions that sever relationships continually reveal that just when we think America can’t become any more divided, it can and will.
While many are eager to look to laws as the solution for these problems, writer Hannah Anderson cautions Christians against putting all of their eggs in the legal basket.
“The swell of policy initiatives has also highlighted the need for discerning leaders—those who know not just how to win elections and judicial seats but how best to rule. Leaders like King Solomon,” Anderson writes.
Reflecting on the account of Solomon and two women who claimed they were the same baby’s mother, Anderson observes that Solomon did not solely rely on the law to find a solution. Instead, he reached “a just ruling by going beyond the law to the truth not fully captured by the law.”
Solomon stands out as a wise leader not only because he could skillfully apply the law but because he knew the law was limited in its sufficiency. He knew that legalism could not fully bring about good or properly punish evil.
“While our legislative systems play an essential, irreplaceable role, we need something beyond law,” writes Anderson. “We need something beyond ourselves. We need what only God can give.”
Laws and legalities matter, but they are not our ultimate arbiters. May we take heart in the fact that the fullest expression of truth, goodness, and justice is not a policy for a perfect nation, but a person who reigns over an eternal kingdom.
