The wicked crave evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.
12 The Righteous One[b] takes note of the house of the wicked
and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
will also cry out and not be answered.
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.
Wicked Evildoers
What is the opinion of a psychopath about morality? They believe that right and wrong are defined by the individual in an individual context. Often when they commit heinous crimes, they have judged that they are doing what is right for them as far as they are concerned. The wisdom of Proverbs depends on the perspective that there is a greater good that others can be held accountable to. It is not the consensus of a majority in a particular culture. It is the belief that something greater exists than the human individual. That entity has the right to define right and wrong; good and evil.
Questions
- How can a person crave evil but probably define it as good?
- How do people think that they are good enough to stand in judgment over the actions of others?
- Why do some people think that the police and others who uphold righteousness have no right to tell them what to do?
- How might you be unaware of your own tendency to redefine evil as good?
- Could you go for a week without justifying or defending yourself?
Plymothian 