Walking with the Wise #87: Righteous Rejoicing

“When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,

and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.”

—Proverbs 11:10

Righteousness should be honored among men, because that means that equality, justice and fairness are exalted. All men would know where they stand and what is required of them. Such an environment enables truth to thrive.

When the wicked are destroyed there is also cause for celebration, because that means that justice has been done. Justice involves good being done to those who do right and punishment to those who have done evil. Such thinking might seem a bit morbid in our world of tolerance and cultural sensitivity, but it is a very biblical idea. Even at the end of time, when Jesus comes again, there will be unbelievable joy as those who have trusted in Him are vindicated and those who reject Him are punished. There will be no sorrow for those whom we love who rejected the Savior’s love, because we will know more fully that God is loving and merciful, having given them the opportunity they needed to believe in Him. And even though they rejected it, there will be a sense that God was right and their punishment was justified.

Do we honor righteousness? Or are we exalting that which God finds deplorable? Honor that which honors God and you will find yourself rejoicing with the righteous over all that God has done. Amen.