Be the Reason for Rejoicing

By David Lane

“When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice,

but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” — Proverbs 29:2, BSB

The contrast could hardly be clearer.

When righteous people flourish—when they influence their communities, shape institutions, exercise authority, and lead with wisdom—the people rejoice. But when wickedness gains power, ordinary people suffer. They become discouraged by injustice, corruption, disorder, and the steady erosion of everything that is good.

They groan.

Many Christians are groaning today. We look at our culture, our schools, our communities, and our government, and we do not like what we see. We lament the rejection of biblical truth. We grieve over policies that harm families, dishonor human life, undermine justice, and celebrate what God calls wrong.

But Proverbs 29:2 does more than explain why people groan. It points us toward the solution.

The answer is for righteous people to flourish—and lead!

Righteousness Must Become Influence

Biblical righteousness is not self-righteousness. It is not arrogance, moral superiority, or the belief that Christians are always right about everything. Righteousness begins with walking humbly before God, submitting to His Word, loving our neighbors, seeking justice, speaking truth, keeping our promises, defending the vulnerable, and treating others with dignity.

Yet biblical righteousness was never intended to remain hidden.

Jesus called His followers the light of the world. Light is meant to shine. Salt is meant to influence its surroundings. Believers are not called merely to survive in a dark culture but to illuminate it. We are not called simply to complain about decay but to help preserve what is good.

Christians must do more than possess righteous convictions privately. We must bring those convictions into the places where decisions are made.

That means leading in our homes, churches, businesses, schools, neighborhoods, nonprofit organizations, city councils, legislatures, courtrooms, and every other sphere of society.

Groaning Is Not a Strategy

It is easy to criticize those who are leading. It is harder to accept the responsibility of leadership ourselves.

We may complain about the condition of government while neglecting to vote. We may criticize school policies while refusing to attend a school board meeting. We may lament the quality of political candidates while never encouraging qualified believers to run—or considering whether God may be calling us to serve.

When Christians sit back, do nothing, and then groan about what is happening, we are contributing to the problem rather than becoming part of the solution.

Vacant spaces of influence do not remain vacant for long. When people who love truth, justice, freedom, and righteousness withdraw, others will gladly step forward to fill the void. Those leaders will govern according to their own beliefs and values—or their lack of them.

We should not be surprised when people who reject God do not govern according to God’s principles.

The question is not whether someone’s values will shape public life. The question is whose values will shape it.

Leadership Is Service

Christians should not seek authority merely to possess power. Jesus gave us a radically different model of leadership.

Godly leadership is servant leadership.

It does not ask, “How can I control people?” It asks, “How can I serve them?”

It does not pursue personal glory. It seeks the good of others.

It does not excuse dishonesty because the cause seems important. It remains truthful, honorable, and accountable.

Christian leaders should be known for courage without cruelty, conviction without arrogance, strength without corruption, and compassion without compromise.

Our goal is not to force people into faith. Faith cannot be coerced. Our goal is to govern justly, protect freedom, defend the innocent, reward what is good, restrain what is evil, and create conditions in which individuals, families, churches, and communities can flourish.

That kind of leadership gives people a reason to rejoice.

Perhaps God Is Calling You

Not every Christian is called to hold public office. But every Christian is called to exercise faithful influence.

Some are called to pray. Some are called to organize. Some are called to support worthy candidates. Some are called to serve on local boards and commissions. Some are called to become teachers, attorneys, judges, business owners, journalists, pastors, advocates, or community leaders.

And some are called to run for office.

Perhaps you have assumed that politics is too dirty for Christians. But if a room is dark, we do not protect the light by carrying it away. We take the light into the darkness.

Perhaps you feel unqualified. Moses felt unqualified. Gideon felt insignificant. Jeremiah felt too young. Yet God has always used ordinary people who were willing to trust Him, obey Him, and step forward.

The need for righteous leadership is not limited to Washington, D.C. Some of the most consequential decisions affecting our daily lives are made much closer to home—in city councils, county commissions, state legislatures, and local school boards.

You may not be called to lead millions. You may be called to serve a community of a few thousand. That service still matters. Every office occupied by a person of wisdom, integrity, courage, and compassion can become an instrument of tremendous good.

Flourish for the Good of Others

Proverbs 29:2 does not say that the righteous flourish merely for their own benefit. Their flourishing blesses everyone around them.

The people rejoice.

They rejoice when justice is administered impartially. They rejoice when leaders tell the truth. They rejoice when families are protected, children are valued, freedom is defended, taxes are handled responsibly, communities are safe, and public servants remember that they are servants.

The flourishing of the righteous produces a harvest of public good.

This is not a call for Christians to become angry, fearful, or obsessed with political power. It is a call for us to become faithful. It is a call to stop surrendering influence by default. It is a call to replace passive frustration with prayerful action.

Do you want the people to rejoice?

Then walk closely with God. Become a person of unquestionable character. Learn the issues. Serve your neighbors. Speak the truth. Vote faithfully. Support righteous leaders. Step into places of influence.

And should God call you, run for office.

Do not merely groan about the darkness.

Rise up. Lead well. Serve faithfully.

Let the righteous flourish—and give the people a reason to rejoice.

Editor’s Note:

David Lane’s mission for the Nehemiah Project is to lead people to put their heart in the rebuilding of their nation, by taking responsibility for the wall that closest to their home. That is what the people of Israel did. Christian citizens who have a mind to work will accomplish much when they labor on the section of the wall closest  to their home. 

“So we built the wall and the entire wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a heart to work.”

Nehemiah 4:6 AMP