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 Sometimes,
when I come home, nothing is where it used to be. The furniture
has been rearranged, my books and papers have been stacked
neatly away somewhere, and everything is so orderly that I can’t
find anything. Margaret’s kinda that way —given to change
— and you might even say that, at times, I am a companion to
such change. And now that Spring cleaning time is here, I try to
stay away from the house as much as possible.
Solomon
said, “My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; and company not
with them that are given to change: for their calamity shall
rise suddenly; and the destruction from them both, who knoweth
it?” (Prov. 24:21- 22). But he is not condemning me when I
reluctantly agree to change the furniture. Woe be it unto me, If
I agree not!
The
direct application of his proverb to our present time would be
this: “A Christian should not be a companion to a revolu-
tionists.” The proof of that conclusion is the context and the
definition of its words.
The
context of this proverb is a call for the student of wisdom (“
my son”) to fear Jehovah and the king. Keil translates it: “My
son, honour Jahve and the king, and involve not thyself with
those who are otherwise disposed,” (Keil and Delitzch,
Proverbs, Vol. II, p.137). Quite obviously there was a need for
this proverb because then, as now, there were some who had no
respect for God or civil authority.
“Companion”
here literally means “to mix oneself up with,” and is much
more intensive
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than just “friendship.” “To mix
oneself up with” is interpreted as “to make common cause
with one.” The companion of one given to change, then, becomes
a party to another’s goals and a sympathizer with his
aspirations.
Those
“given to change” are those who are disposed otherwise than
to fear God and the king. They respect no authority and
recognize no law that would restrain them. This particular class
of men are dissidents, oppositionists, or revolutionists.
Revolu- tionists do not lead peaceful lives nor do they normally
die of old age — sudden calamity and destruction come upon
them.
A
Christian is to seek a peaceful and quiet life (1 Tim. 2:2). He
cannot “make common cause” with a revolutionists because he
is a subject of God’s law and is, therefore, to be obedient to
civil law. Peter said, “Be subject to every ordinance of man
for the Lord’s sake,” (1 Pet. 2: 13). Paul’s revelation
was no different: “Let every soul be in subjection to the
higher powers,” (Rom. 13:1).
If
you have a hankerin’ to be a revolutionist, if you want to
turn the world upside-down, then try your hand at elevating man’s
values and ideals by turning him to Christ. You will meet all
the opposition you could possibly want, but it’s a real
challenge and it’s constructive too. Such change will
naturally make a better world, but most important it will save
souls from the calamity of eternal destruction. —— Jim R.
Everett
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