When Politics and Faith Collide

And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul.” 1 Samuel 22:22

A couple years ago, upon leaving an organization, someone in that organization questioned my loyalty. I had my reasons for leaving. I felt then, and I still feel now, that leaving was the right thing to do. Loyalty though, to this individual, was at the top of their value hierarcy and so, disloyalty was a dreaded sin and a terrible mistake. Loyalty is one of those values that can masquerade as always being virtuous, but if I’m loyal to something that is dysfunctional then I’m attaching myself to dysfunction. If I’m loyal to something that’s evil, then I’m a part of the problem.

This is the lesson of Doug. Actually, his name is Doeg, but when I read the passage, I pronounce it Doug in my head. In today’s passage, we’re told how Doug witnessed the priests at Nob secretly feeding David and his men. Doug was loyal to King Saul, who was seeking to kill David. So, Doug took this scandalous information straight back to Saul, who commanded his guards to kill the priest. The guards, fearing God more than the king, refused to kill a priest. So, in a scene straight out of a mobster movie, Saul demanded that Doug once again prove his loyalty, killing the priest with his own hand. And once again, Doug proved himself loyal.

I’d bet that Doug told himself he was doing the right thing. Saul was king and Doug was loyal to him. That loyalty, however, caused him to endorse and do terrible things. The guards had it right. Though they served the king, their ultimate loyalty was to a higher power and so, when they had to make a choice between their God and king, they chose God, risking their lives in the process.

The virtuousness of loyalty depends upon the object of that loyalty. If I’m loyal to my own appetite, I’m simply selfish. If I’m absolutely loyal to a political party, I’ll often find myself endorsing behaviors and policies that don’t align with my faith. Authentic faith means that I’m loyal to God above all. This will mean that I must be disloyal to anything that leads me away from God. This will eventually mean disloyalty to my political party, as I must object to behaviors and policies that contradict God’s will. Remaining loyal to anything always means sacrificing something. If I don’t want my sacrifice to be a waste, and if I desire the life God wants for me, then I must daily, point my life at him, remaining loyal to God above all.