Sin Loves Its Own Company
King Ahab wanted Naboth’s land so badly that it hurt (1 Kings 21). He offered Naboth money, even a better vineyard and still Naboth would not relinquish his land. While a disappointed Ahab pouted in the palace, his wife Jezebel quietly arranged the murder of Naboth. When Naboth had been falsely accused of blasphemy and stoned, Jezebel announced to Ahab that Naboth was dead and his land could now be taken. Ahab hurried to take possession of the coveted land, probably not asking too many questions.
While Ahab was in his new vineyard, the prophet Elijah arrived, having been sent by God to rebuke Ahab for his wickedness. Ahab greeted the prophet by asking, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" (1 Kings 21:20).
Ahab’s "warm" greeting to Elijah answers a question which has puzzled many people. It seems that frequently the person who is trying to live a decent, moral lifestyle becomes the object of vehement criticism or ridicule from others. Why does that happen? Why wouldn’t everybody want to associate with a person whose humor is clean, whose vocabulary doesn’t include obscenities, who always tells the truth? Why wouldn’t everybody want to associate with a person who won’t steal, who doesn’t commit adultery, who is just basically a good citizen?
King Ahab regarded Elijah as his enemy because Elijah stood for righteousness and had rebuked Ahab’s behavior in the past. The king resented Elijah as the messenger of reproof although it was the king’s own behavior which brought about divine rebuke. In the area of correction, it is always easier to attack the messenger than to change one’s life in response to the message!
Ahab, Jezebel and Elijah are long gone, but not much has changed since their time. It is frequently not even necessary to voice any rebuke of the corrupt lifestyle of others to receive their criticism or ridicule. The immoral, the ungodly, the corrupt still often resent the godly individual because that person’s life is a non-verbal rebuke to their own lifestyle. Their behavior is seen more clearly for what it is by its contrast with the life of the one who is dedicated to obeying God’s commandments.
Ridicule is often a way of directing attention away from oneself. The righteous individual is accused of arrogance because he refuses to participate in the evil behavior of others. He is described as "self-righteous" because he discerns between right and wrong. Sin prefers its own company. The sinner is more comfortable with other sinners than with the righteous. Jesus said it this way, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:19-20). Disciples of Jesus should not be surprised that they are persecuted for righteousness’sake; the Master suffered the same!