The nation’s morals are like its teeth; the more decayed they are, the more it hurts to touch them. (George Bernard Shaw, 19th-20th centuries Irish playwright)
For anyone who has ever had a toothache, Shaw’s picturesque metaphor is easily understood. Hurting teeth are painful, obviously, but, apart from an accident, painful teeth don’t just happen. Neglect is the cause of many human pains, and that may be a clear diagnosis of the moral problem in today’s society. How much more important are good morals than good teeth?
When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability (Proverbs 28:2).