Measuring Sticks

(Pro 12:5 KJV)  The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.

Two types of people; two different measuring sticks.  This points out to us why it is important for us to consider the spiritual foundations of people and organizations.  I could make quite a list of companies, charities, universities and such that were started by “righteous” (6662) individuals or groups and have since been taken over by the “wicked” (7563).  With that change the entire direction of the organization has changed.  

The same can be said for churches.  Look at the history of the Methodist church.  It developed from the tendency of John Wesley to organize his followers into methodical classes for personal development.  He remained in the Church of England all his life and encouraged the people he preached to to do the same.  Eventually their spiritual stands drew them out and you have a solid, Bible based denomination come together.  Then the liberals took over and today the United Methodist Church as an organization has abandoned any claim to be the body of Christ.  There are still those in it who are true believers but the struggle is being won by those who are deceitful about what the Bible teaches.

So?  We are responsible to be righteous ourselves.  We are also responsible to put our resources behind those who are righteous.  We don’t like it but we probably don’t like the idea of Hell either.