From today’s reading...
Put an end to the malice of the wicked, make the upright stand firm, you who discern hearts and minds, God the upright.” Psalm 7:9
I went looking for the quote, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” It’s a quote routinely attributed to Edmund Burke. But it turns out falsely so. It seems he never uttered these words.
At best, the essence of the quote can be traced back to the utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill, who delivered an 1867 inaugural address at the University of St. Andrews and stated: “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.” (Source: OpenCulture.com)
So listen to Edmund Burke and John Stuart Mill and the psalmist, who all pass along or summarize God’s intention, namely that we are to...
Stay the course.
Keep the faith.
Endure.
Now go sell something.
