"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other" (Matt.6:24, NKJV).
Grand Duke Henri, hereditary monarch of the state of Luxembourg (Lützelburg), was stripped of his powers as head of state when in 2008 he refused to sign a new law voted by the Luxembourg parliament permitting euthanasia, creating a consititional crisis.
There are still 12 monarchies left in Europe but all the monarchs are now just figureheads with no real power. Grand Duke Henri was the last of those who held any real executive power and he was not ashamed to stand for what is right. Rather than bow to secular pressure, this Catholic monarch stood true to his principles and has deservedly earned the respect of those of us who love emet (truth).
The only other monarch who in recent times has refused to bow to the pressure of secularism was devout Catholic King Baudouin of Belgium who refused to sign a bill liberalising his country's abortion laws. Unlike Grand Duke Henri, though, he cheated somewhat by abdicating for one day to avoid having to sign the Royal Assent. That way he maintained his powers unlike the Luxembourgian monarch, who would neither bow nor cheat, was ignominiously stripped.
As Christians we are constantly tempted to make compromises in order to retain a 'standing' with the world. Henri could have retained his powers but chose to forsake them rather than compromise with evil. Some might argue that he should have abdicated but that is not an issue I feel competent to judge. He did his duty, made his point, and as a result was either loved more or hated more by his people.
That is how it must be with us too, for if we stand by the emet (truth) we must of necessity expect to be hated more by the majority wicked and loved more by the minority righteous. That is how the separation of the wheat from the tares takes place and we, of necessity, are its catalysts.
The day of the traditional monarchs is over, and whilst most fell far short of Yahweh's standards, there were some good ones. Now we need some righteous Presidents and Prime Ministers like Vacláv Klaus of the Czech Republic to stand up and be counted. It is only when men and women of influence, who are willing to sacrifice their positions of authority in order to get the truth out, that large numbers of people can hear the emet (truth). May they stand up and be counted!
Comments from Readers
"This is a great man, for doing what is right, and standing by it" (MS, USA, 14 May 2011)