A famous quote attributed to Edmund Burke says, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
We see a lot of evil around us in the world.
So—where are the good men?
If we belong to Jesus, we fit into that category, as He has made us good (Ephesians 2:10; Hebrews 10:14).
Where there is evil and injustice, good men need to stand up against it.
Where are the good men?
This notion is consistent with biblical justice, a theme that gets hundreds of verses in both Testaments. God spoke through His servants at different times and in different ways, sharing His heart for what is right:
Moses said, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)
The Psalmist said, “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and oppressed.” (Psalm 82:2)
Solomon said, “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” (Proverbs 29:7)
Jeremiah said, “Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.” (Jeremiah 22:3)
Isaiah said, “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.” (Isaiah 56:1)
Amos said, “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24)
Micah said, “He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Zechariah said, “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.” (Zechariah 7:9-10)
Paul said, “And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
The list of Bible verses could honestly go on and on.
Beyond the constant calls for justice is something else:
A constant call to action.
None of these verses say, “Send your thoughts and prayers!”
We value prayer deeply but never as a substitute for righteous action. Prayer and action work together, not apart.
God is looking for men who will stand up. Where there is evil and injustice around us, good men are called to take action.
We value prayer deeply but never as a substitute for righteous action. Prayer and action work together, not apart.
What sorts of evil are we talking about?
No doubt every man’s mind runs to a few sins, but there is a wide variety of injustices around us:
- The loss of innocent life through abortion
- The loss of innocent life through gun violence in our streets and our schools
- Sexual immorality run amok
- Racist ideologies run amok
- Women who bear misogyny, oppression, and sexual harassment/assault
- Women and minors trapped in sex work through prostitution or porn, selling themselves for the pleasure of men
- Immigrants (“foreigners” in the biblical language) who endure prejudice and hatred
- Kids receiving abuse and neglect at home
- Politicians who benefit themselves while making decisions that don’t benefit their people
- Corporations (and consumers) who benefit themselves at the cost of the environment and underpaid workers
- Christian leaders and pastors who build their own wealth while people in their ministries and churches struggle to get by
- Leaders (Christian or otherwise) who use their power and position to sexually prey on those under their watch
- Over 1 billion children worldwide who don’t have enough to eat while the West faces an obesity epidemic
- Christian brothers and sisters around the world who suffer imprisonment, violence, and death for the Name of Jesus
The list could keep going, and it is entirely overwhelming.
But we don’t need to take responsibility for every problem. We can’t do that. Only Jesus can.
There is another famous quote, this one attributed to Edward Everett Hale, who said, “I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
Look around you, in your community, and notice an injustice that provokes you. Not all of them—pick one.
Then, be a man who takes a step of action.
It could be as simple as writing a letter or seeking a meeting with a leader to share your concerns.
It could be a donation or volunteering.
It could involve a confrontation, or it could involve a removal of support.
It could include protests, boycotts, or sit-ins.
It could be done loudly, or quietly behind the scenes.
It could involve many people, or it could be a solo act.
It could include stepping up to be the solution, like becoming a foster parent to care for the orphan, serving at a soup kitchen to bless the poor, or helping out at a senior’s home to support the widow.
It could be as large as risking your life for another or as small as deciding to spend your money elsewhere.
There is a world of possibilities for resisting evil and injustice in non-violent ways.
The only option not available to good men is to do nothing.
What are you doing today to resist evil? To push back the darkness? To support the least among us? To make a difference for good in this world?
We’ll take it as a given that you are praying.
But what else?
Doing nothing is not an option if a man wants to be biblically faithful.
Will the good men please stand up?
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