September 6

Injustice Amplified

When the innocent and honorable are punished or slaughtered in the mills of human expediency the risk and danger of all mankind is amplified.



Proverbs 17
26 It is not good to punish an innocent man,

or to flog officials for their integrity.

When we read these words all we can say is that it is one of the greatest understatements since the morning Adam blinked his eyes and was dazzled by the sun lighting a world of unfolding wonder. This earth all his to enjoy without paying taxes; his to command with masterly gaze; his to walk about with commanding footfall; and his to indulge his senses to unimaginable tastes, smells, and tactile experiences.

When the first man decided he would be as wise as God and live forever humankind lost its innocence with him. It is in the genes! From that moment on all innocence for every human became relative. Furthermore, all integrity was likewise defined when first man and woman attempted to cover their stark nakedness with the flimsy leaves of the fig tree. Humans have been reaching for whatever is close at hand ever since.

In the eyes of God no one of us are innocent and none have absolute integrity. However, it is still painful to us to see those we know as “innocent people” suffer injustice. It is also a painful thing to see people of “honor and virtue” get “flogged” with lies and scurrilous and false accusations. It grates upon every sensibility of humanity remaining and elicits an immediate scream of foul and unfairness. Why does it hurt? It hurts because we have a memory of Eden written into our very DNA. We long for that purity and we value it so much we even label some of our own number as innocent or honest “as the day is long.”[1]
In this world of relative innocence and honesty we will do well to cling to the words it is not good to “punish the innocent” or “flog officials for their integrity.” Why is it not good? Because they are mirrors of the only “good” most of humanity has.

When “good people” are destroyed or removed there will be no standard to an unbelieving society. When the innocent and honorable are punished or slaughtered in the mills of human expediency the risk and danger of all mankind is amplified.

Oh yes, the proverb we began with is an understatement. How should be the news line for one of our major newspapers? It describes of the negativism and political climate of modern American society. Therefore, it must be time for another Christ-centered great awakening. We need to import some righteousness from another realm!

Maranatha, Lord Jesus!

[1] When the son of God appeared emulating true innocence free of self serving and admirable integrity government and religion claiming a corner on assaying purity and truth crucified Him without resistance by the “salt of the earth” who received Him. There was no innocence or integrity apparent except on the cross and validated at the resurrection.