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With U.S. Independence Day coming up, I started thinking about national leaders and how hard it is to lead a country. While there are some leaders who don’t lead and just do what they want, don’t forget that there are always leaders who care about their people.

In thinking about the different kinds of leaders, I thought of a place in the Bible that tells us to pray for our leaders, 1 Timothy 2:1-4. In this passage, Paul is telling Timothy that he and the other believers should pray for all men. The Greek there actually does mean all – all, any, every, the whole. Paul then specifies leaders: kings and all in authority. The Greek here essentially means the people who have authority, and “all” here again means all.

Paul then gives the reason for praying for our leaders: we want to live peaceful, godly lives. Remember Paul is writing this to early Christians who were persecuted for their faith. Paul also tells them that God considers this kind of praying good (verse 3). He adds in the next verse that God wants all men to be saved and to know the truth. Again, all means all.

Considering that praying for our leaders is good and that God wants everyone to be saved, even Christians who are not persecuted should be praying for our leaders, and all other men as well. We can and should pray for other people’s leaders also. You never know what leaders might just turn around, for good or for bad. Don’t factor God out of world events and national leadership. God can change hearts and minds.