When people think of politicians, journalists and similar professions, the thoughts are not always positive.
Indeed there can be a somewhat cynical view of those either in authority or who are meant to be reporting on those in authority. The cynicism comes from the experience of how power corrupts and the pursuit of power can make matters murky. Stories of people being bribed or coerced into following people makes the thought of real change ever taking place hard to conceive.
This need not always be the case. There are episodes in history where people recognise what it is to do right and be right. People recognise that the harsh slavery of people is wrong and a stand has to be made against it. People recognise that the unfair treatment of women in society is wrong and a stand has to be made against it. People recognise the poor and dispossessed were being marginalised and a stand has to be made against.
People recognise that orphans need a loving and caring family and something can be done about it. People recognise that there are strangers to the country who have fled persecution and the very threat of death and a hospitable supportive response is required and something can be done about it. People recognise whether it is a physical, mental, learning or emotional impairment it shouldn’t stop people being an integral part of the community and something can be done about it.
It can be as simple as helping the struggling single mother with her three children put the shopping in the car. It can be as elaborate as arranging a series of events to raise funds to do something about cancer research.
It can be being faithful to a word you made. It can be checking how your neighbours are doing and sharing some of your freshly baked bread.
It can reach the halls of government where representatives can bring into force legislation that helps the populace. It can permeate newsrooms where campaigns are raised and issues are highlighted to people’s attention so they can celebrate good things when they happen, and show up against wrong things that do.
The book of Proverbs is written by those who observed how life tends to operate. Like today’s documentary makers, they noted patterns of behaviour. From here they picked up on some critical things that will tend to happen in life. One of the things the writers noted was that things tend to work better for relationships when righteousness rules. Things tend to work better for communities when righteousness rules. Things tend to work better for our society and our world when righteousness rules.
Letting righteousness rule need not be an onerous task – it just needs to be the day by day commitment to seeing what it is to do and be everything pleasing to our Father. After seeing it, we can do it.
This because things tend to work better for all parties when righteousness rules.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 