Proverbs 29:16

When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.

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Good morning. Today is the day. If you’re hearing this fresh, it’s Monday, September 29th, and the clock is ticking in Washington, D.C. In less than 48 hours, government funding runs out.

Yeah another shutdown. I don’t know if we all understand the severity of a government shutdown, because it seems like it doesn’t affect us directly, unless you either have a federal job or depend on a vital program (like Medicaid) that’s being used as a bargaining chip. Hmmm, a shutdown isn’t just politics—it’s pain.

And it’s no accident. In the last decade, three government shutdowns—all under Trump’s watch—show that dysfunction can be used as strategy. Which raises a hard question: when chaos seems to win the day… are we watching wickedness thrive?

📖 Proverbs 29:16 says: “When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.”

Doesn’t even seem fair, right? When the wicked rise, corruption multiplies. Look around: manufactured crises. Power plays at the expense of the vulnerable. Institutions weakened until people lose faith.

But the proverb gives us the long view: the righteous will see their downfall.

That’s where that “three steps forward, two steps back” principle kicks in. Sometimes it’s one step forward, three steps back. Life feels like wave—up and down, progress and loss. If you only measure the moment, you’ll think you’re losing.

 I was listening to a conversation yesterday between Ezra Klein and Ta-Nehisi Coates (which I highly recommend):

And Ezra put it this way, we are losing because there are always moments when we lose. That hit me like a bucket of ice water! Losing is actually built into the game. If you see every loss as fatal, you’ve already given up the fight.

Remember Mike Tyson’s quote: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Losing a play doesn’t mean you lose the game. Getting hit doesn’t mean you’re knocked out. What matters is staying in the ring long enough to see the arc bend.

That’s why Dr. King’s words endure: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Or as I once put it in a rhyme:

“Even when the bend in the arch don’t seem to be movin’ / That’s just illusion; the universe be showin’ and provin’.”

 Wickedness seems to thrive, but it only thrives in moments. The victories are short-lived because they’re built on chaos. The righteous endure—and in the end, they see the downfall.

🔥 Bottom Line: Stay steady. Stay in the fight. Don’t mistake a stumble for the whole story. Righteousness wins in the end.

Prayer

Lord, steady me to endure until justice bends toward right.

Today’s Challenge

When frustration rises, reframe it: this is one round, not the whole fight. Anchor your heart in the long arc of justice.

About the Author

Fred Lynch is a creative communicator, author, and Christian Hip Hop pioneer. To learn more about Fred and what he’s up to now…click here or you can find him in all the socials by searching the handle: heyfredlynch

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Be Wise and Be Well...peace.

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