As we continue to look at the wisdom in the book of Proverbs we see that individual righteousness influences corporate righteousness, especially when a righteous person is in a position of leadership.
Truly "no man is an island" unto himself. Each of our individual actions will have an effect on those around us. We can influence the world by our good deeds or our evil deeds. We each have a choice as to how we will live. Verse 10 tells us that when there are good reports in a city, the city rejoices. The city also has shouts of joy when criminals are arrested or evil is overthrown in a city. It is sad to say in our day, there seems to be more reports of evil than reports of good. When leadership is corrupt in high places, it filters down to all levels of our society and whole cities suffer.I
n countries where there is democracy and the people are allowed to vote, the people have a responsibility to elect qualified moral leaders to their leadership posts. The devil uses lies to keep many people from voting. He wants to keep godly men and women away from the voting booth and get the candidates of his choice elected instead. If we do nothing, it makes it easy for the enemy to help those who could become the wrong leadership for our nations. Here are some of the lies the devil whispers to people to attempt to keep them from voting:
"My one vote doesn't count anyway." "I'm disillusioned by the whole political process." "I'm already too busy to take the time to cast an informed vote, so I just don't vote at all." "Politics are corrupt anyway and as a Christian I don't want to be involved."
These are just some of the excuses that people use to justify their failure to exercise their civil responsibility to vote. Only heaven will reveal the many opportunities that we had to change things for the better in our nations, yet we failed to do so because we did not use our right to vote. We do not realize the privilege we have to be able to have a voice in the choice of who shall be our leaders and what kind of laws should govern our land. If we were to go to a country that did not afford its people this right and live under the usual dictators that rule those countries, we might be more thankful for this advantage.
The heart of God is expressed in the Bible for His concern for government leaders by telling us that we should pray in this vein when we look at the admonition in the following verses:
1 Timothy 2:1-4: "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. "
Should we not assume that if the Lord would have us pray for leaders, would He not also want us to use every opportunity to assist in electing the leaders that would be the best ones for promoting peace and righteousness? Yes, Jesus, himself said in Luke 20:25: "And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's."
If we have been given a civil responsibility by government (Caesar) to vote, we should take that opportunity. Caesar was the Roman emperor at that time, so Jesus was telling them they were to pay their taxes, as well as support the work of God. These scriptures tell us as Christians that we are to be good citizens as well and pay our taxes. As good citizens in our nations, we should not leave the operation of the government to ungodly men if we have opportunity to change things. How can we prevent that? One way is to use our one vote wisely. We will be accountable before God as to how we voted. Another issue is to spend time in study and prayer so that we can vote wisely for the proper candidates, as well as the right issues. Recently, in the presidential election of 2000 in the U.S.A. we have seen how one vote does make a difference. As Christians, our lives should make a difference in the circle of influence that we each have. Let us each live righteous lives wherever we are, so that our nations are changed.
Proverbs 14:34: "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people."
