Article August 17, 1987 Issue

The moral courage and wisdom to confront wrong

We don't have to feel helpless in the face of injustice or immorality.

Thomas C. Asher

When we have direct knowledge that something wrong has been done, we may at times feel unsure of the proper response. We may ask, "Should I openly confront this wrongdoing and risk the explosions that may follow, or should I just keep quiet?"

It is always appropriate to confront sin within the citadel of silent prayer. But there may also be occasions where humble prayer moves one to speak out against some injustice or mistaken course of action. One such instance is found in the Old Testament where we read the account of the prophet Nathan confronting King David.^{See II Sam., chaps. 11-12 .} David had disregarded two of the Mosaic commandments: he had committed adultery with another man's wife and then he had successfully plotted her husband's death.

"And the Lord sent Nathan unto David," the Bible says simply. In this phrase we find a key element to deciding when to challenge sin openly: one must feel divinely impelled to expose and rebuke sin. One must be acting in obedience to God. One must be serving godly righteousness and not self-righteousness.

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