Why Rick Warren Is Right

It’s understandable why the gay and lesbian community is upset with President Elect Obama by picking Rick Warren to pray for him during his inauguration. Rick was very supportive of Proposition 8 in California which in essence forbid gay and lesbians to marry. I get why they would be a little upset about the choice.

On the other hand, it appears that Barrack Obama will be a very choice/gay/lesbian friendly president. So I don’t think by him choosing Rick to pray for him will change his status on abortion or other issues. They probably ought to relax a bit.

What I don’t understand is the reaction from the “Conservative Christian” community. Why the hatred and hostility toward Rick Warren for going to pray for our President? It’s not an endorsement of Barack’s policies. In fact, Rick’s been very clear that he disagrees with the President Elect on a number of issues. You still pray for the man and our country.

Rick’s being a pastor. How many congregants make choices we wouldn’t make? How many people find themselves in a sinful mess after sinful mess? How many people show up to the church as beat up, tangled messes and we love and minister to them anyway. We don’t throw them under the bus just because they aren’t like we want them to be. We take the situation as it is and pray for God to work through it, in spite of it.

That’s why Rick is praying for his President – and whether you voted for him or not, that’s what he is – our President. Rick will pray for our country and her leaders mainly because that’s what Scripture tells us to do and partly because we so desperately need it.

And I’ll be praying for our new President as well. Whether I agree with him or not – I’ll pray for him.