When tragedy or violence strikes a country, notice the good and righteous in the crowd. In the time of the prodigal son's death, men of kindness gathered in the streets, not even considering that righteous people will guide them away from evil. The upright and the good will enter peace, but they will find rest in death. The evil and the wrongdoing will not know how to charm them away, and they will face sudden devastation.
The Bible teaches us to notice the righteous and the good in our time of crisis. During our times of disaster and violence, God's faithfulness to His people will never waver. The Bible warns us to avoid hypocrisy and violence, and we should heed the warnings and instructions of those who lead by example. It is also imperative for us to understand the nature of human suffering.
While the rich and powerful seem to enjoy a life free of tragedy, they are still subject to the trials and pain of the righteous. Asaph believed that only the righteous should experience shalom. That is, he believed that the wicked and the violent should never experience shalom. However, this is not the case. Asaph was a man of great suffering. Nevertheless, he did not let his pain stop him from doing what he knew was right.
The apostle Paul suffered a lot, and he was in the middle of it all. He was beaten and stoned, and he was imprisoned, but he did not succumb to the slanderers. The Apostle Paul suffered hunger and thirst, but he did not deny his calling. In fact, he endured many terrible things. Despite the trials he underwent, he still remained a man of God.
The evil and the righteous are the same. Both groups of people experience tragedy and violence. When they do not suffer, they will not experience joy. By contrast, the wicked are not the same. In other words, the righteous and the good will live in shalom. And vice versa. The bad and the evil will live in shalom in the same world.
During the times of tragedy and violence, notice the righteous and the good will be in the forefront. They will be more aware of the good and the bad in the world. And they will be more willing to notice the evil and the wicked in the world. When the righteous and the evil are in the same place, there will be no pain. The wicked will suffer, but the wicked will be in their place.