"Godliness in the Context of Community"

Probing Proverbs 11:10-11 
The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die. Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

When we read a Proverb like this it can seem confusing. We understand that the way to life is toward God, so it would make sense that when people live godly most are happy and celebrate. Yet, we look at our world today and that is not what we see! Evil is celebrated and those that try to stand for what is right and holy are mocked and many are persecuted!

To stand for God’s standards for sexual intimacy will get you laughed at as unrealistic, scoffed at as a prude or labeled as prejudiced and a judgmental individual. To stand for justice, enforcement of laws and expecting people to work for a living will bring the label of “racist” and if you are famous, the vindictiveness of the media. So how can a Proverb like this be true? The key is in the description of the type of citizens that populate the city. When the city has upright citizens they will celebrate when godly people have success. 

Also, it is important to put in proper perspective the “shout for joy” when the wicked die. This is not some individual pleasure in seeing another individual’s demise, this is joy that comes when we see the evil intentions of individuals bent on destroying others overcome by right! I take no pleasure in knowing that Adolf Hitler rejected God and lost his soul, yet, I celebrate and have joy that the Nazis were destroyed by those that knew they had to fight that evil.

If you are willing to be honest and study history you will find that when individuals embrace God’s standards, the entire society benefits...except for those intent on evil. There is no political answer that will help society in it's character, only godly standards can do that.

For example:

True welfare – that means helping those that cannot help themselves - is from God's standards:

James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Psalm 41:1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.

Welfare is not giving money to those that can, but refuse to work. Groups that help those that are addicted to things are following God’s principles of mercy and grace. Orphanages came into existence from people that loved God. Even standing against one of the greatest evils man does to man – slavery – was led by individuals that loved God.

Yes, we can see people who claimed to follow God abuse people using the institutionalized church as their cover…remember the most religious people in the world turned Christ over to be crucified. Religiosity never makes it to godliness; it always falls short and ends up judgmental, self-righteous, and abusive.

Whenever we follow God’s standards all those around us benefit. Look at the "family" as an example. Study history, even current history, and you will see as the family moves away from God’s model, society breaks down into crime, addictions and drifting into purposelessness. When you have a man, who is willing to be the head of his household, married and sexually faithful to one woman, the children have their best chance to become productive, compassionate and beneficial individuals to society. Men and women need to understand what “headship” means Biblically. 

It does not mean the “boss” and “dictator,” that’s what religion has defined it as. Biblically it means that I, as head of my household, am the most accountable to God for my family, and should be the model of Christ likeness. My responsibility to my wife is not to keep her in her place, but to encourage and enable her to be all that Christ sees she can be. To cherish and adore her, to help her fulfill the dreams Christ has given her. As a husband I have been the “boss’ at times and it has always damaged my family. By the way, I have not been the boss because I am a man, I have been the boss because I am human! Everyone wants to be the boss, I know I have seen my wife and three kids do it! However, when I have been what God expects me to be, my wife and children experience “family” the way God intended.

You will never lose anything of real value when you live toward God. Consider what Scripture states:

Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mark 8:36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

Ezekiel 33:11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

God desires all of us to live close to Him. We will be a blessing to those around us and we will experience the peace that can only come from Him!

Meditation: What impact has your life had on people that are open to God? If you are persecuted, is it due to what you believe or is it because of the way you communicate those beliefs? What is the difference in hating the evil in society and hating those that are living that way? What should the balance be? What is Christ's example?