If Good Men Do Nothing
Back in the 1700’s, Edward Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
I know that in the generation that we live in, where truth is now considered a relative term, even the label of “evil” can cause eyebrows to raise and fingers to be pointed. I trust that there is still a remnant of those who can admit evil when they see it.
I see the triumph of evil in the multi-billion-dollar porn industry that reduces men and women to body parts and positions. I consider it evil when I hear of kidnapping that forces children into sexual exploitation. I consider it evil that one of the highest exported items in eastern European nations is women. We hate that date-rape occurs, and that molestation is perpetuated all over the world. The list goes on and stems from the pride and unrestrained selfishness that is common to all of humanity.
How do we untangle this web?
How else but one day at a time?
One interaction at a time.
One prayer at a time.
There is a commonly quoted portion of the Bible, found in Proverbs chapter 31, that talks about women. It is a glowing description of the influence that strong women can have. She thrives in the home as a mother and wife, is entrepreneurial in business within the city, is wise, and is trusted as a counsellor. A woman who is strong and kind.
The less frequently quoted portion of this same chapter describes the influence of strong men. First of all, I love that God acknowledges that the strength of both men and women is essential for the establishment of healthy communities.
Secondly, I enjoy that while the description of women is 21 verses total, the description of men is full of action, only 8 verses long, and gets straight to the point. Feel free to read the whole thing, but for now, I want to zero in on a couple key points found in Proverbs 31:8-9.
As I studied, I noted that being a good man certainly has something to do with the wrong that he abstains from. But, what is the purpose of all that “abstaining”?
It is for the purpose of being ready and willing to make a difference on behalf of others.
In other words, strong men are those who say, “no” to all that distracts or drains their strength, in order to give a heartfelt “yes” to that which will protect and empower those around him.
4 Things That Good Men Do
1. Speak up for the people who have no voice.
Here at The Union, we are focused on matters around the topic of sexuality and familial relationships, because we see that a distortion of these areas becomes the Achilles’ ankle in society. If you break and distort the identity of men and women, the nation will soon crumble.
If you can restore the identity of men and women and bring health to how they relate, and the nation will soon thrive.
The ones who have no voice are the ones who don’t know how to talk about the things that have broken them. Shame pulls people into darkness, and it is the responsibility of all leaders to bring light to those they influence. We must bring answers to the questions that people don’t even know how to ask.
In God’s opinion, the job description of every influencer should include, “Start the conversation about matters that people don’t know how to bring up.”
2. Speak up for the rights of the unfortunate.
The unfortunate are those who have been lied to, stolen from, pushed out, and trampled down. This includes the call girl, the porn addict, the trafficked, and the victim of molestation.
Now, wouldn’t you agree that they have a right to hope again?
Because of what the Lord Jesus did for us all, we can declare that NO ONE is beyond hope and that dreams can be restored.
3. Speak out for justice.
When you hear about injustice against others, be an echoing boom of the information. You have likely heard the accounts of those who were sexually assaulted, but who were then blamed for the crime done against them. What if a generation of men began to stand up in defence of the women and children who were victimized?
What if every man used his sphere of influence to push back the tide of constant sexual objectification?
It could be as simple as not laughing at the crude joke or not staring at the sensual woman walking by, even though all the other guys are.
It should also extend beyond that. Good men could stand on the platform they have built and bring compassionate awareness to the plague that is afflicting our generation.
4. Stand up for the poor and destitute.
So often the poor (both naturally and psychologically) are blamed for their condition. Admittedly, many have made choices that led them down a path into moral or physical destitution, but this never stopped Jesus from reaching out with kindness. When faced with our dilemmas, Jesus never said, “Well, you got yourself into this mess. You’ll have to clean it up yourself.”
Rather, Jesus got down on His knees beside us and said, “Let me help you with that. We’ll get this matter untangled, just you wait and see.”
Men and women, determine today to be the ones who get involved and begin to speak up and stand up for those around you.
You won’t make a difference because you think you have arrived at some level of perfection or because you think that you know all the answers, but simply because you care and because you are willing to offer your strength for the good of those around you. That is something, isn’t it?
And something is better than nothing.