This brief meditation below on Proverbs 29:2 comes from an Emmaus friend who has shared her morning meditations with some of us through email for years. For maximum impact go read the entire text of Proverbs 29. It is enlightening.
God always knows what one needs. This resonated with and touched me at every level of my life where authority has been existent over me……
in my own soul
in my family
in my educational experiences
in employment
in ministry
in my civic life-city, state, nation
in my common humanity
At every level, God is the one who has created and ordained authority according to His will and purpose for my life and all the world.
Some have been poor in administering their God-given authority over me and others. Often it seemed their poor use of authority was because they themselves viewed themselves as the ultimate authority in their own lives and felt arrogantly entitled to apply that same self-interest ethical standard to all things or, at least, to everything over which others would submit or defer to their leadership authority! They often eventually become tyrants and lose the favor of God over their authority, having no fear or honor toward God themselves. They become poor examples of the use of authority and power, at best. At worst, God uses them to demonstrate the folly of failing to follow God first.
Others in authority over me have been well-equipped, gentle and humble, leading in a way that earns respect, loyalty, and thankfulness to God for them.
In every circumstance of authority, I am to be obedient unless and until God shows me without a doubt that I must reject the authority who has become wicked. If I can’t reject it, I can get on my knees before God and groan and plead. Such a person I cannot respect nor honor. I will groan…. even lament, and even publicly, if necessary, like Mordecai did over Haman’s grasping, deceptive, and wicked authority.
Thankfully, when authority over me revealed wickedness, God has always provided relief in one of several ways.
Firstly, and most happily, there were times when prayer and boldness in confronting the wickedness led to repentance, reconciliation, and peace for all.
Secondly, in some cases God graciously removed me from such authority by taking me beyond its reach.
Thirdly, at times God removed the authority from my place of being, also a great blessing and relief.
However, at times God left the wicked, even abusive authority in place for the purpose of purnishing the wicked authority, giving other wicked authorities a warning to change, and even using the wicked authority to discipline and instruct the hearts of His own people.
God does hear our groans and laments in the midst of an individual’s or a community’s pain. But when we are stupidly, sheep-ily, fearfully, or selfishly following a wicked leader, we become the ones punishing ourselves by not following the Good Shepherd instead. God’s sufficient grace, even then, is that His very own Spirit is groaning within the spirits and hearts and over the broken lives of His people who don’t even realize how they have turned aside from His Way.
Proverbs 29:2
When the righteous thrive the people rejoice;
When the wicked rule, athe people groan.
“Meditation:
As Christians we bear a tremendous responsibility to our country beginning in our homes and moving on to school, colleges and universities, military training, state governments and national government. We must begin being more careful about whom we elect to public office just as we are careful about bringing up our children in the knowledge and love of the Lord. We must develop close, personal relationships with God to have an impact wherever He places us to serve Him. There is no job that does not need God’s influence. This influence often comes only from believers placed there by the Lord. Prayer is vital to carrying out this responsibility Pray constantly for all these areas in our lives. Pray for our responsibility to serve God in our churches. Don’t be afraid to stand firm in God’s word everywhere you go and at all times.
\Joyfully His,
Judy K”