When I was a child, I thought of a Christian as a quiet, smiling, perfect person who never did anything wrong. The church folks I knew didn’t say much, never missed a sermon, and seemed to project to the world an example of living right. We all know that is not completely correct, as we all sin.
We are all forgiven for our sins, so it would seem to give us an eternal pass to live our life however we want. I’m not sure that is what God intended.
Without God present in our lives and our actions, the world can change to a point that we can’t repair. Bad behavior becomes acceptable and next it becomes “normal.” Lastly, those same activities are not only normal, but they’re rewarded. After this, children who may have never had these thoughts comply simply to be rewarded.
Exodus 23:2 — “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.”
I believe God gives us the free will to live how we want to live, whether it be good, bad, or somewhere in between, but when do we force Him to step in and fix the situation?
I don’t believe we can continue to be the Christian of the past that is quiet. I think it’s time to speak up because evil flourishes when Christians remain silent. We need all followers of Jesus to spread the word of God, as we are more powerful than regarded by many.
God, my security is in You. I do not need the validation of other people. Let me turn my concern into prayers for that person’s well-being. May I act out a living prayer by responding to strong words with gentle kindness and spread the word you left me to follow. Amen.
Rick Stanfield is a syndicated columnist, professor, motivational speaker and author. His latest book is “I Can and I Will.” For more information, visit his website at www.rickstanfield.com.