Articles
Standing Up to Evil
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A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.
(Prov. 25:26)
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In the arid Middle East in ancient times, life depended on a reliable source of water. Whether it came from a flowing spring or a deep well, potable water was not a luxury--it was critical to survival. But if the water coming from a spring or well was polluted, the life-sustaining liquid was worse than no water at all; it killed those who drank from it.
This metaphor is an apt description of the good man who fails to stand firm in the face of evil. By training and experience, his character should serve his community as a bulwark against the encroaching tentacles of sin. But if, to save his own skin or to preserve his social status, he backs down before the wicked who are aggressively pushing their agenda, his compromised reputation will do more damage to the cause of truth than if he never existed at all.
Consider the example of Aaron, whom Moses left in charge of the people when he went up on Mt. Sinai to receive the Law (Ex. 32). The people took advantage of Moses' absence to pressure his brother to build a golden calf. Aaron folded under their demands and built the idol, resulting in an orgy of debauchery. One good man who was in a position to hold firm, instead yielded to the mob, and the character of the nation spiraled out of control.
In our lifetimes, the principle behind this metaphor has been little more than an academic topic. But increasingly Christians are finding themselves in positions where the most basic elements of their belief system are being challenged, even threatened. This parable is becoming a reality in our own experience.
When corporate diversity training sessions require that we endorse gay marriage and transgenderism as acceptable alternative lifestyles, will we voice our convictions, or meekly go along with the perversion? Put another way, will a "faithful Christian" renounce these ungodly behaviors, or support them? The world is watching our response.
When Christian business executives are pressured to sign on to radical programs that elevate one race or group over another, will they remain faithful to Biblical standards of true equality and fairness for all, or buckle to the woke crowd?
The righteous man who refuses to capitulate in the face of evil will likely pay a price for his integrity. Such is the way of the world. But whatever his losses, he will retain the most important thing of all: his integrity.
In the end, that is all that matters.
--David
