Where’s the Shame?

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Where’s the Shame?

Proverbs 14:34 ESV

Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people

There are three questions which require answering.

A. What is righteousness?

B. What is it for a nation to be exalted?

C. What is it for people - that is a nation made up of people - to be a reproach.

A. In the light of the writer of Proverbs continued statements, righteousness is when the Law of God is the standard of conduct for all laws made. And when the citizens of the nation are encouraged to not only keep but love the Law of God. The writers of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation know of no other standard of righteousness than this law.

B. Exalt is to be raised up, lifted up, or set up above. It is to be placed in a position of safety or authority. Therefore it is to be exalted or promoted.

The exalting in this verse is both internal and external. Internally it is to have peace and prosperity. It is in Hebrew to have “shalom” or health and prosperity in the fullest sense. It is a land that has escaped plagues, drought, and wars. It is land in which the people experience prosperity and tranquility. Externally it is a nation whose borders are respected by other nations. And whose people are safe when they travel. It is to be above and not under the heel of anyone.

C. The Hebrew word translated “reproach” in its ordinary and most usual sense would be “piety”, “beauty”,”kindness”, and only rarely, determined entirely by contextual usage, does it mean “pity” “reproach” or a “wicked thing”. In the root word, again rarely, it is “reprove” or “be put to shame”.

In Proverbs 14:34b “reproach” is a direct result of sin and none of the positive and pleasant translations can apply. The rare translation must prevail.

For a nation to be a reproach it is one who suffers reproval. It is to be pitied and to be shameful.

What then is to be expected by such a people in a nation that is a reproach? God is not going to bless it with peace, prosperity, and respect. Other nations are going to attack it with no concern for its borders. There will be constant danger to its citizens within and especially as they travel. They will have become targets for no other reason than being citizens of the pitiful shameful nation.

I wonder who this describes. Do you know?