October Reflections on Proverbs 31: Day 4 & 5, Verse 4 & 5

4 "It is not for kings, Lemuel—it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,  lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights."

Not only will drunkenness impair judgement, it will impair justice. Since Lemuel holds a title with authority to govern over the affairs of the oppressed, it was important that he not "drink and forget" responsibilities to the least of these. 

His mother taught him not to crave things that would cause the cries of the downtrodden to slip his mind. She was directing him in the way of The Lord and not simply trying to take his fun away: "The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern" (Proverbs 29:7). 

His mom taught him to look out for the needs of the oppressed and let nothing so meaningless and futile as "a good time" come between him and the poor that needed his advocacy. She valued the helpless and the justice they sought, teaching him to do the same.

There are many things, not just strong drink, that cause us to forget the needs of others and rampant injustice in our world. Regardless if you think it's your mandate or not, to be a part of God's royal family, one of your tasks include taking care of the poor (see Grinding the Face of the Poor, a book that compiles the 2,000 verses in the Bible that talk about poverty and injustice and God's very serious words to us concerning both).

Sometimes we willfully ignore that which breaks the heart of God because it's too overwhelming; we don't know what to do or where to start. Other times we are simply too distracted by our own cravings, family, entertainment, hobbies, issues, desires, even addictions to notice the oppressed. 

Is there anything in your life right now that is causing you to forget the poor? It can be good things. Remember, good things can often take the place of God's best in our lives. Obedience is greater than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). What is He asking of you? 

How can we keep ourselves from becoming unconcerned about the least of these?

How can we help our children play a part in helping the poor? 

Pray with me if you struggle in this area: God, thank you for saving me. Thank you for blessing me with much so that I may be a blessing to others who need to know You love them. Help me to not run from injustice even though it can be scary and overwhelming. You are so much bigger than the evils of this world and You alone have the answers we need. Forgive me for being distracted and unconcerned when injustice doesn't concern me. Help me to pass along the cause of the least of these to my children, for them to be able to see how to be a light in dark places.