24:23 – These things also belong to the wise: it is not good to show partiality in judgment.
Abraham Lincoln, in his final debate on the issue of slavery with Stephen Douglas, said,
“That is the real issue…It is the eternal struggle between these two principles – right and wrong – throughout world. They are the two principles that have stood face to face from the beginning of time; and will ever continue to struggle. The one is the common right of humanity and the other divine right of kings. It is the same principle, in whatever shape it develops itself. It is the same spirit that says, “You work and toil and earn bread, and I’ll eat it.” No matter in what shape it comes, whether from the mouth of a king who seeks to bestride the people of his own nation and live by the fruit of their labor, or from the race of men as an apology for enslaving another race, it is the same tyrannical principle.” [emphasis mine]
Today, we scoff at the idea of “the divine right of kings” as absurd, and slavery as wrong.
Yet, our government acts as if it is not only acceptable, but admirable, to be partial to some “oppressed” group. Yet, by definition, discrimination in favor of one group, or groups, requires discrimination against another. And, today, we have politicians who believe:
- Immigration laws apply to everyone trying to get here legally, but not to those who have come here illegally!
- Discrimination is wrong, unless someone’s ancestors might have been slaves. In which case it is OK to discriminate in that person’s favor.
- If you are fruitful, the government should take a larger percentage of the fruit you produce and give it to people who are not fruitful.
- If a company/union/organization/person can contribute a lot of money to politician’s campaign, they should receive preferential treatment.
The downward slide all starts with showing partiality. Solomon got it right. Our Founding Fathers got it as right as they could. Lincoln distilled its essence.
We were the very first nation founded on the belief “that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…”
The rule of law, founded upon the belief in a Creator who endowed each individual with equality, set us free to become the greatest nation in the history of the world.
We deviate from that concept at our peril.
