It says that righteousness exalts a nation. If we remember that the definition of righteousness is to disadvantage oneself to advantage the whole community, then we begin to see how it would be possible to evaluate the heart of a society. Daniel calls on a pagan king to act justly toward the poor and oppressed (Daniel 4:27; cf. Jonah 3:1–10), and the prophet Amos held pagan rulers accountable—not to a full Christian standard of faith but to a golden-rule standard of justice and fairness (Amos 1–2).
