So, did you take my challenge this morning? If so was your day any different? I know mine always is when I start my day of in awe of who my Redeemer is!
Tonight I’d like to look a little deeper into verses 2, 4, 12, 16, and 26. In an effort to see how each of these tie together I show them below in one group:
When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.
By justice a king gives a country stability,
but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.
If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.
When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.
Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.
I can not help but read these verses and instantly think of the current state of our country. It seems everywhere I turn, and each day I wake there is some new horrifying thing that has happened or another new line that has been crossed. It baffles me that this country has become what it is. My husband is an active duty airman. I see so much honor and patriotism in him, he would literally and willingly lay his life down for this country. I can’t help but wonder if any of our “leaders” or “rulers” would do the same selfless act so willingly.
These verses read very simply and are easy to grasp an understanding of. How scary it is that even in the times of Solomon warnings were given to us about how our rulers and leaders should behave. Solomon is warning us here about what will happen when the wicked, greed, and lies abound in our government. And yet here we are.
If you know me at all you know that I detest watching the news. And I am rarely very knowledgeable on politics and government happenings. I think I know just enough to get by and even with that minute knowledge I am appalled, humiliated, and utterly saddened for our country and it’s future.
In these 5 verses that seem so filled with negative statements it is easy to see ourselves in these verses. But I see something even more….. I see a glimmer of hope.
When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice…
I think in today’s crazy world we need to remember that we are in this world but thank Jesus we are not part of this world! When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice. Is it possible for us to be righteous and thrive in today’s world? And if so, if we did wouldn’t that end in rejoicing? So often we just complain and fuss about all that bad decisions made, violent behaviors of our society….those are all things that happen, and they are bad. I believe that in these desperate, and perhaps even end, times maybe we shouldn’t just be getting by but maybe we should be thriving. Thriving as righteous warriors for Christ Jesus who died for us. To thrive means to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances. If we want the rejoicing part we need to stop surviving and start thriving!
… the righteous will see their downfall…..it is from the Lord that one gets justice.
When we thrive in our pursuit toward righteousness we will see the downfall of the wicked. Every man’s judgment comes from the Lord. I am so thankful that at the end of my life, be that tomorrow or 100 years from now, my Lord is the one the will pass all judgement. Not because I am righteous. My best efforts in this life are like filthy rags next to Christ. But because my debt has been paid and my sins are covered by Christ Jesus’s blood.
Tonight I am in prayer for our country; for the wicked rulers and leaders in this world. Honestly they probably have more people hating them than people praying on their behalf. Their day of judgement will come, just like mine. The wicked will fall…..at the end of The Book we win. My prayer today is that I will focus the time I have here on Earth on thriving in my pursuit of God and of righteousness. I must keep my focus on Him, not on all the wicked going on around me. I must remain aware of my surroundings as that is our battlefield, but my focus has to stay on Him. That is the only way to thrive and ultimately rejoice!

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