Sometimes when I’m reading the Bible, a verse will grab
my attention. That happened when I read Exodus 23:2a this morning:
NIV Exodus 23:2a "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.
I got to thinking about examples throughout the Bible
where people either courageously stood apart or else gave in to the pressure
and influence of the crowd. I also thought about the different ways in which
this principle applies to us today.
Biblical
Examples of Courageously Standing Apart from the Crowd
1. Noah
Sometimes we feel like we have it tough because often
those who are deeply committed to following Jesus are a minority where we live
and work. But think about Noah. The Bible describes Noah’s world like this:
NIV Genesis 6:5
The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the
earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil
all the time.
It appears that Noah and his family were the only
righteous people who trusted God in the whole world at that time. Praise God
that Noah and his family did not go along with the crowd. This story also
reminds us that in the long run, it’s always much better to follow God than to
follow the crowd.
2. Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego
Talk about pressure to join the crowd! Trumpets are
blaring, the king’s threat is looming, and everyone else is bowing down in
front of the giant, intimidating ninety foot gold stature. But Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego refuse to go along with crowd or bow to the pressure (see
Daniel 3). They are thrown into a fiery furnace, but God protects them.
3. Micaiah vs. 400 False Prophets
Four hundred prophets were all prophesying that the kings
of Israel and Judah should go to war against Ramoth Gilead. But the King of Judah
insisted that Micaiah, a true prophet of the LORD, also be consulted. There’s more than a little pressure for
Micaiah to go along with the crowd:
NIV 1 Kings 22:13
The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the other
prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word
agree with theirs, and speak favorably."
Micaiah actually initially gives in to this pressure. But
when the king commands him to tell the truth, Micaiah prophecies defeat for
Israel and Judah if they attack. You would think that the King would thank
Micaiah for being honest. Instead, the king has Micaiah thrown into prison and
given only bread and water. But Micaiah’s prophecy proves true and the words of
the crowd of false prophets lead to disaster.
Even
Courageous, Godly People Can Give into Group Pressure from Time to Time
Peter had shown incredible courage after being jailed and
beaten for the cause of Christ. He refused to give in to threats and he kept
boldly declaring the Good News about Jesus. But a little later, Peter (also
called Cephas) temporarily gave in to group pressure:
NIV
Galatians 2:11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because
he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat
with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate
himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision
group.
This example shows how even people who are strong and
courageous for Christ must always be on guard against the subtle dangers of
going along with the crowd.
Applications
for Our Lives
There must be hundreds of ways in which this simple
command applies to our lives:
NIV Exodus 23:2a Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.
Some types of following the crowd in doing wrong are
obvious. Examples would include doing drugs or getting drunk. Other examples
are more subtle. Like how we spend our money and use our time. Or the types of
things we choose to watch and listen to. Then there are the priorities and
values we can absorb from the world around us.
There are certain moral values taught by the Bible which
are very unpopular today. May God give us strength to value and guard virginity
before marriage and faithfulness within marriage. May we never give in to the
pressure to celebrate homosexual sins. May we continue to stand for the right
to life for the unborn. These values are not popular with “the crowd” these
days.
Another application is not compromising on Biblical
truths we see which may be unpopular or even unacceptable in some churches,
Christian institutions, and groups. Sometimes through Bible study and learning
from other Christians we will come to see that the Bible teaches something
which is different from what many of our peers believe. There will be pressure
to close our eyes to these inconvenient truths which could cost us in a number
of ways.
May God give us the courage of Noah, the moral strength
of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the faith of Micaiah. May we fear God
and not man. May we keep our eyes on our Lord Jesus and not on the crowd. May
the Lord keep us from following the crowd in doing wrong.
Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .
Thanks Mark. Sometimes , the simplest statement can carry a lot of wisdom and weight. We need these reminders. Like you , I read and one verse will just speak to me. Thanks for sharing <><
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