Stand Up For What You Believe

8 Nov

“Always stand up for what you believe in even if it means standing alone.”  ~ Kim Hanks

There is one thing that the vast majority of people in the world share:  the idea of “safety in numbers.”  Whenever we set out to do anything, we want to know how many people have done it beforehand.  We want to know how many people will be with us when we attempt the task.  We do not want to be alone in our endeavor.

Yet, the life of a Christian many times calls us to be alone.  This is a great big world filled with millions of people.  They do not all share the same beliefs we do.  They do not share the same aspirations or goals.  Many of the world’s goals are directly against our way of life.  Those are the times that we need to stand strong so that we can reflect the values of Christ.

It feels awfully strange standing by ourselves.  When we do so, we often second-guess ourselves.  We wonder if we are actually correct.  Maybe the vast number of people are right and we are wrong?  That is what the devil would want us to believe.  When we stand firm, the devil will plant doubt into our minds and hearts, especially if we are standing firm all on our own.

Stand up for what you believe.  If it is right, it needs to be seen and heard.  So what if you are the only one speaking or doing.  If you are right, it must be done.

Jesus encountered the crowds.  He stood up for what was right and was crucified for it.  At any point in time, He could have said, “Stop this!”, and it would have all been over.  However, He knew what He was doing was right and He knew what He was doing would free us all from sin and death.  So He stood all alone, even as His followers fled from Him.

It is nice to stand with a group.  It is wonderful to have the support of others.  The true test of the mettle of a Christian, however, is our willingness to stand alone for what we believe.

FAITH ACTION:  Do not bow to the pressure of the world.  Stand up for the faith today.