First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

It is true that we complain about our leaders more than we pray for them. No one has disagreed with me on this. Our complaints are especially displayed when it comes to our political leaders. People can also be especially critical of bosses, law enforcement, church leaders, parents, and teachers.

But does that mean we can’t complain about our leaders? Are we not able to criticize and disagree? Are we to just be quiet and pray? There may be a time for that. For instance, Isaiah said of our Messiah, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

But Jesus was very critical of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day. He debated them; He called them out. He, as the Son of God, often had harsh words for them.

We are never forbidden from bringing criticism to leaders, civil or spiritual. And though we should indeed pray for them more than we do, we are allowed to evaluate and disagree with leaders.

Jesus’ response to His tormentors gives us a clue as to how we are to respond: “And while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” (1 Peter 3:23) When Jesus stood before the civil leaders at His trials, he both answered and asked questions. But He did so truthfully, succinctly, and with respect.

This is election season. Politics takes up an enormous amount of time and energy in our lives. It also prompts a lot of complaining on our part.

So then, what do you do when you have a significant complaint with those in authority? What is allowable and what is not?

Here are some ideas:

1. Pray for Leaders With Whom You Disagree. 

Pray about the issue with which you disagree. Are you sure you are right? Is it a matter of your opinion, or are there biblical commands or principles at stake? Are there theological non-negotiables involved, or is this a matter of preference? Be prayerfully open-minded to the truth.

2. Communicate.

Communicate your objections. Whenever we disagree with someone, we should communicate those differences with them rather than talk behind their backs.

When we don’t communicate, we put ourselves in a situation that may create even more strife. Sometimes, when speaking a complaint with someone in authority, we discover that there is more to the story. Or that perhaps we are misinformed or that we’ve misunderstood. Clear and open communication can put out the fire before it begins.

In politics, we have the privilege and responsibility to be involved in our government. Unlike the Christians in the Roman Empire, we can communicate with our leaders by phone, letter, email, etc. You may not always get a direct response, but you might. Rather than complain to others, lodge your complaint with the one with whom you have the issue.

3. Be Respectful. 

Submitting to the governing authorities means we are to show respect for them, for their authority is given to them by God (Romans 13:1-7).

There is a long and storied tradition in our own nation grounded in Scripture that we respect the office of one in authority even when we believe the officeholder is not worthy of respect by their behavior. I served in the military under three Commanders In Chief. One, I had great personal respect for and two, I did not. But I did respect the office they held. 1 Peter 2:17 says, “Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.” To honor is to show respect.

If you have children at home, be careful what you say about those in authority over you. Little ears are listening and will adopt your opinions and attitudes.

4. Check your Heart. 

We do not have the right to be bitter (cf. Hebrews 12:14-15). We sometimes have good leaders who act in accordance with biblical and Christian values, but more often than not, that is not the case. When we have ungodly leaders, we are never given license to exhibit hate, insolence, cursing, etc. We may vigorously disagree with our leaders, but we should never hate them.

Even if we view them as our enemies and some very well may be, Jesus was very clear that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. That is a difficult thing to do. But God is always about changing our hearts. He often changes us before He changes the person we are praying for.

5. Vote.

When it comes to elected officials, complaining about them achieves little. We should not be surprised when elected leaders do not act and speak like Christians. We do not live in a theocracy, and we should not expect that we will be able to put only Christians into office.

It’s often said America gets the leaders she deserves. That’s because we have lost the virtues and values on which we were founded. The Church should lead the way in repentance. 

As Christians, we should do all we can to elect the best leaders possible so that we may continue to live lives of freedom to spread the Gospel message. Therefore, we should prayerfully study and evaluate candidates for that purpose.

In the end, it comes back to prayer. We are commanded to pray for our leaders. Before taking any of the above steps, prayer should always be our priority. And then, complain away. Just do it God’s way.