From today’s reading...
‘Let us see if what he says is true, and test him to see what sort of end he will have. For if the upright man is God's son, God will help him and rescue him from the clutches of his enemies. Let us test him with cruelty and with torture, and thus explore this gentleness of his and put his patience to the test. Let us condemn him to a shameful death since God will rescue him -- or so he claims.’” Wisdom 2:17-20
There is an ancient proverb that states a rich man should not pick fights.
So if you’re playing a game and you’re ahead with time winding down, you should not hit your opponent or commit fouls and give them an unearned advantage or momentum to play harder and win.
Similarly, Jeff Bezos should not punch anyone out of anger.
Finally, this proverb also applies to your faith.
Wicked men who, by definition, are poor in faith are threatened by God’s message when it is publicly delivered by upright men and threatens to upset their plush, comfortable lives. (And the bigger, more powerful they are, the more willing they are to stop at nothing to protect their earthly status.)
They did it 150 years after today’s reading to the Son of God, and they are doing it today to small business owners, political opponents who prefer freedom over security, and even to the children of those they see as threats.
Wicked men and women will stop at nothing to silence upright men and women.
It has been like this from the beginning.
It will remain like this until the end.
Make sure you’re on the winning side at the end, which means you must...
Stay the course.
Keep the faith.
Endure.
Now go sell something.
