Violence or Valor

(Proverbs 3:31 KJV)  Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Why would we “envy” (7065) a “man” (376) who is an “oppressor" (violence NASB) (2555)?  That is a good question, but we do it all the time.  

But we do envy.  I don’t go to the movies much and I never watch TV unless someone else has it on but I do read action novels.  There is something in us that enjoys watching or reading about men of violence.  It is such a part of the macho culture we see around us.  We are part of that culture.

The condemnation is not of soldiers and protectors.  All you need to do is do a search for the term “mighty men of valor” in the KJV and you will come up with hundreds of listings such as,

(Joshua 1:14 KJV)  Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;

Neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament condemns the soldier who is doing his duty.  The problem is the person who lives by that violence. 

So?  Know and recognize the difference.  Violence for violence sake is to be avoided.  Defense of the weak and righteous is expected.  Sometimes that requires mighty men of valor.