The presidential election in America is now over. Those who supported Barack Obama are happy and Mitt Romney's supporters are disappointed.

It was a tough campaign, and the post-election comments of some Romney voters sound bitter, almost like a personal attack on the opposing candidate.

As Christians we are not immune to such sentiments around us. We live in this world are are influenced by the political process and the decisions our governments make. Our leaders are humans and they make mistakes, disappointing us – perhaps often! One time I heard a member describe his country's leader as "an advanced head of cattle".

Would Peter or Paul have used such descriptive terms?

Paul wrote: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God" (Romans 13:1).

Peter admonishes us: "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good . . . Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Peter 2:13-14. 17).

Who was the king whom Peter had in mind? It would have been the Roman emperor of his time. Peter is thought to have written his two epistles in the mid-60s A.D. That means he was telling his readers to honor emperor Nero, who initiated the first great Christian persecution after a devastating fire in Rome (64 A.D.).

We might not always agree with the decisions our political leaders make, but they occupy their office because God allows it. That gives us an opportunity to be mindful of Jesus exhortation in Matthew 12, verse 36: "I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment."

With these thoughts I wish everyone a rewarding Sabbath!