Proverbs 31:1-4
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
5lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
7 let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:4 – The king should not be a slave to alcohol. The reason is that he needs his mental faculties to make wise and just decisions. However, in this verse the reason the king should not be mastered by alcohol is that when his faculties are impaired he will pervert the rights of the afflicted.
Rulers are to rule for the sake of those who suffer at the hands of others. Rulers are to protect the most vulnerable in a society. In verse 9 they are articulated as the poor and needy.
Our leaders should ensure justice for the weakest of our society – children, the aged, the poor, the abused, the mentally handicapped, the physically handicapped … and those in the most vulnerable place of all – the womb.
The fact that Canada has no abortion law is due to the fact that it would be political suicide. As wine intoxicates, so does power. The rights of pre-born children are being perverted and no matter how well our rulers rule none of them seem to see the need for protection of these defenseless ones.
And the saddest fact of all is that in this country there is no one not under the influence of what intoxicates them to say “this atrocity must stop”, because the vast majority of the country is providing the drink.
Today, pray that our leaders will be able to lead with justice for all, in a job that has powerful temptations to do just the opposite. Pray for the conversion of our leaders.
Recent Comments