Within the last year or so, many countries have held national elections putting new leaders and their administrations in the spotlight. Britain, the U.S., Canada and France have all had changes in leadership. Now we are beginning to see how these administration changes and personalities will play out as leaders meet to discuss policies and review treaties. Bystanders are wondering if old alliances and treaties will be honored or broken. Newcomers are bringing their agendas to the table hoping to strike new accords and perhaps form new alliances. Already the U.S. has backed out of the Paris Climate Accord, and new agreements regarding the Syrian War, North Korean aggression and Chinese trade are being forged. How will these new alliances and priorities affect the global economy, the global environment and global health? Only time will tell for sure, but there will certainly be consequences, both good and bad.

Homefront battles

Teens know a lot more about alliances than we may think. Their friendship groups regularly respond to new friends, pressures from other groups, interference from parents and internal testing or fighting. Sometimes friend alliances are made up of just two or three teens, while others are much larger groups or even gangs. Summer break can drastically influence and change alliances since some teens no longer see one another daily, others form new friendships and join new groups, and still others are affected by new people moving in. Navigating who is on what side can prove exhausting.

An eternal ally

Christians are not new to alliances either. From the moment God established covenants with God’s people, we gained our greatest ever ally. From the rainbow to the Resurrection, God always has our back. Moses freed Israel from the Egyptian pharaoh by relying on God’s power. Joshua defeated Jericho using God’s unusual battle plan. Alliances for and against Esther, David, Jesus and Paul are well recorded in Scripture. But the most important alliance we can forge is with God. From that relationship, we can discern all others.

Question of the day: What are some unlikely friendships or alliances you have observed?
Focal scriptures: Joshua 9:1-27; Luke 22:14-34; Matthew 28:16-20; Proverbs 3 

For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC.