The Dividing Line
Those who abandon instruction praise the wicked, but those who keep instruction strive against them. Proverbs 28:4 (Waltke)
Strive – The world is divided in two. There is no middle ground. The line cuts through every social and economic group, every ethnic and national background, every political affiliation. You are on one side or the other. And your actions are the badge of your allegiance. You either fight against the wicked, or you join them.
This verse is sometimes translated “strive with them,” but, of course, the thought is not that you are in league, fighting alongside the wicked. It is that you are in opposition, facing the wicked in battle. The Hebrew verb garath can mean to provoke or to strip up or strive. Context tells us how to apply the phrase.
What’s important here is who ends up on each side of the line. This verse gives us just one of the delineation criteria. In this case, the line is drawn over the “law.” That’s the word torah – instruction. Those who abandon God’s instruction are in league with the wicked. They praise God’s opposition. They emulate God’s enemies. They submit to the patterns of this world’s system. Don’t think that these people are reprobates. They are your neighbors, your officials, your teachers, your friends, your relatives – anyone who determines that life should be lived my way, anyone who does not recognize God’s authority over every decision. You know these people well. And they know you. In fact, they might consider you one of them, unless your life demonstrates in tangible form that you are submissive to God’s instruction. One of the great tragedies of the church is that those on the inside don’t appear to be very different from those on the outside. Both groups strive for the same things – success, happiness, acceptance, importance. That’s why this line cuts right through the heart of every man and woman. If you are not standing up against what opposes God’s instruction, then you are endorsing His enemies.
Are you ready to take a really hard look at your actions? Can you face the facts? Whenever and wherever you refuse to oppose those who flaunt God’s law, you lose all credibility as a servant of the King. Even a choice with “insignificant” consequences is a telltale sign of your allegiance. What did you think God meant when He commanded us to be holy – to just improve our lot in life? Or, did He mean for us to separate our attitudes and actions in such a way that everyone notices we are different?
