“When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases, but the righteous will see the downfall of the wicked.” (Proverbs 29:16, AMP)
“Scoffers set a city afire [by stirring up trouble], but wise men turn away anger [and restore order with their good judgment].” (Proverbs 29:8, AMP)
France is on fire. The UK worries they’re not far behind. And America is so divided in its politics that we have now put those who would say, “Death to America, death to Christians,” in some of the highest seats of our government.
This past week, many conversations have sparked in which people rage and tremble at the current state of our nation. How neither political party seems to be strong enough to stop Islamic ideology from spreading and taking root on American soil. But where is the Church? Where are the Christians?
What we are currently seeing unfold is something that must be stood against. If we don’t, we could be facing some very real and solemn consequences in our lifetime and the lifetime of our children. Luckily, the Bible leaves us wisdom in this, as in all situations. “When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding” (Proverbs 28:12, AMP)
When righteous people are in places of power, whether it be nationally or locally, the people thrive. Why? Because righteous people not only walk with the Lord, but they draw near to the wisdom God gives through His Holy Spirit and the reading of His Word. So when they are in places of leadership, they lead from a Godly and righteous mind. And scripture says when that happens, the people that are being led by Godliness thrive. God blesses those He puts in power and the people they rule are all the better for it. Righteous communities are peaceful, industrious, generous, and successful.
But the inverse? When the wicked rule, the righteous go into hiding, either for the shame of the state of their world, or because they are trying to avoid the persecution of those in power. When wicked people are in authority, evil is allowed to thrive. The moral fabric of a society disintegrates and the law protects no one. These unrighteous people that scoff at the Lord set their own cities on fire because they revel in stirring up trouble.
We see this in action in Europe with widespread rioting and destruction. But our country stands at a point where we may be able to back away from the line we tow.
When wise men rule– when they encounter their city on fire and trouble arising– they use that Godly wisdom to turn away the anger the wicked have incited. They restore order with good judgment.
So in the face of godlessness, the Church must stand up. The Church must speak up. But the Church must also know what they stand for and what God’s Word says. It also helps to know what the other side says, and how to refute it using the Truth of God’s Word. If “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5, NIV), then we, the Church, must start being the means by which the Lord shines it.
It starts with knowing the ways of righteousness. Filling ourselves on it and washing our families in it. That way we can rightly represent the Lord and turn to Him in times where the world feels full of worry. It has never been more important for us to know the God we claim to serve and love. We need to know where the line of righteousness is drawn and how to live so that we can glorify Him.
Because He is our God. What’s more, he is our King and a Righteous Ruler Himself. He is above all powers and all things. He is sovereign and supreme over all earthly governments and nations. Regardless of what happened this week in the elections– regardless of what evils may come from those people being in office– He is still on His throne. He is still righteously ruling from on high, and He will put all darkness to shame. He will punish the scoffer and the wicked.
He is not caught off guard by a senator or president. His will is still and always being done on earth as it is in heaven. Christians could become martyrs and still, He would be King of all. America could rise and fall, and He would still be God over all.
And we are still His people. Cling to Christ, friend. Teach Him to your kids so they can cling to Him, too. Share Him with those in your community who are searching for hope and peace.
As the proverb says: The righteous will see the downfall of the wicked. If not here, then in heaven, when God comes to judge the world. At every turn in the Bible where we see the Church persecuted, it doesn’t mean the end of the Church; it means the growth of it and the magnifying of Christ’s name.
Islam, or any other belief system, will not stand or prevail against our unshakeable, unconquerable God. As His children, we should not shrink back in fear, but spring forward. We should demand righteousness on display in our communities and nation. We should remain vigilant and wise in our endeavors to restore order to our nation through the sound judgement of God’s Word, seeking to turn away anger and uphold Truth.
In times where we worry, we should lean on Him all the more. We should go to Him for comfort and to be undergirded by our King and Shepherd. In times of fear, we should do the same. Righteousness gives us more ways to live freely, by the grace of God. But our nation is not lost or fallen yet. Now is the time to draw near to Christ, asking Him to give us knowledge and counsel, and then walk in it. We need to live our lives in the reality that we still have the right to practice our faith in the open, but we will never give it up.
We need to keep telling others about our God. We need to lean on Him. And we need to trust Him, that His will for the world is exactly what we’re walking in right now. Nothing will ever stop that.
