Seth Udinski, FISM News
On Thursday, Christian Headlines issued a report detailing the conduct of former Vice President Mike Pence in his interactions with former President Donald Trump during Trump’s last days in office in January 2021, in the wake of the January 6 Capitol riot.
The report discusses Pence’s personal account of his conversations with Trump in his upcoming book, “So Help Me God,” set to release on November 15.
Excited to announce that “So Help Me God” will be available on November 15! It is my story of faith and public service for the country I love so much! https://t.co/dIbvpaYVkL pic.twitter.com/ny5jg4dRX0
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) July 26, 2022
For context, Trump and Pence were allegedly at odds in the wake of January 6, with Trump reportedly asking Pence to veto some of the electoral votes for Joe Biden. Pence refused, saying he did not have legal powers to do such a thing.
Additionally, there was a growing narrative in the conservative faction that Pence had turned his back on Trump, and as such, many were enraged at Pence. This rage found its way to the riot on January 6, with some protestors allegedly calling for the Vice President to be hanged.
Pence details his conversation with the president, just over a week after the protest at the Capitol. In his account, he says that he told President Trump he would continue to pray for him.
Pence wrote,
On Jan. 14, the day after President Trump was impeached for the second time, I stopped by the Oval Office. The night before, he had unequivocally denounced the violence at the Capitol and called for calm and national unity. I congratulated him on his address. ‘I knew you’d like it,’ he said. He seemed discouraged, so I reminded him that I was praying for him. ‘Don’t bother,’ he said. As I stood to leave, he said, ‘It’s been fun.’ ‘A privilege, Mr. President,’ I answered… Walking toward the door leading to the hallway, I paused, looked the president in the eye, and said, ‘I guess we will just have to disagree on two things.’
Trump asked what these things were. Pence said,
I referred to our disagreement about Jan. 6 and then said, ‘I’m also never gonna stop praying for you.’ He smiled: ‘That’s right – don’t ever change.’
This report comes off the heels of controversy for Donald Trump, who many conservatives believe sabotaged the Republican Party’s chances at a “red wave” in the midterm elections with his public conduct. This has included several baffling condemnations of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whom Trump has labeled “DeSanctimonious.”
Author’s Biblical Analysis
In the last two years, Christians in America have been wrestling with what to make of the January 6 Capitol riot, which put an unsettling and controversial end to a Trump presidency that was otherwise prosperous. Some believe January 6 was violent and unnecessary, while others feel it was a necessary display of free speech in protest of an election that was unfairly stolen by the Democrats.
Regardless of your personal feelings about January 6, we can find great encouragement in the conduct of the former Vice President. In spite of the chaos around him, and regardless of his choices on whether or not to back Trump, Mike Pence handled himself with grace and humility in a situation that would have left many enraged and smug.
The reminder for Christians is this – Our first response to conflict should never be anger or arrogance, but prayer and humility.
Our example comes from the Lord Himself. His Word tells us in Psalm 145:8-9,
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.
We may never know the details of the relationship between Trump and Pence in their last days together in the Oval Office, but the evidence tells us it was at the very least tense, and hostile at the worst. Pence could have attacked Trump, as so many other conservative politicians did, and would have likely been praised for it from both sides of the aisle.
But his response was one of grace and compassion, slow to get angry and full of mercy.
He prayed for the 45th President, and he made sure his boss knew it, too. This is a great encouragement for us on how to respond to those with whom we are in conflict. Instead of returning anger for anger, let us respond by praying for those with whom we disagree.
There is also a great lesson here for Christians in dealing with those who are in “our own camp,” so to speak. We cannot, under any circumstances, respond harshly toward those who are our own spiritual flesh and blood. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, with one Father, having been grafted into the family by our True and Better Elder Brother, who paid the price for our sin (Hebrews 2:10-11).
We must, as our Lord has modeled for us, lead with grace, compassion, and love. Yes, we must speak the truth and fight for the truth, but we must never allow our testimony to be compromised.
Let’s remember this great example from our former Vice President, but more than that, let us consider the example of the Captain of our Faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, who exhibited perfect compassion and humility towards us.
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous. – 1 Peter 3:8