Standing Alone

Have you ever found yourself standing alone for something and as a result, felt the loneliness and isolation associated with holding fast to your convictions? Maybe you stood for an unpopular political opinion, a cause close to your heart, an anti-abortion position, or maybe it was something that took place in a classroom discussion and everyone disagreed with you. It can be the most terrifying thing in the world to "stand" for your convictions and then to be ridiculed, rejected, or even despised by others. However, the moments that define you will always be those you choose to stand by while everyone else remains seated. The same holds true in Christianity. Jesus instructed believers to choose the narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14). That "narrow way" has few people on it but the way that is broad (the popular worldly path leading to destruction) is crowded with people. And when the world realizes that you are not going their way, they will ridicule you and pressure you to conform, lest you be rejected and despised. Jesus knew this would happen to those who would stand for Him. He prayed for us to the Father. He said, "I have given them Thy Word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

Standing alone for God's truth means going against the crowd and making decisions based on what is right, not on what is popular at the moment. Far too often, we incorrectly reason that the popular side (the broad road) “must” be the winning side and that to follow the unpopular road (the narrow road) of our inner convictions might place us on the losing side. Notice, the Bible "it's not filled as much with mass movements as it is with individuals who were willing to stand alone" (Charles Stanley). There were only 12 apostles to begin Christianity. Can you imagine the odds against them? No one ever desires to stand alone. In today's chaotic world, we like to think peer pressure only affects the young. Not so! How many times have you been to a restaurant with a group? Your normal pattern is to pray before meals. When the food comes, you look around to see what everyone else is doing. Everybody else digs right in. So you do too. To stand alone for biblical truth means to go against the crowd and make decisions based on what is right, not on what is popular at the moment. Our actions should not be merely reactions to people; they should be the results of wholehearted love for the Lord and a wholesome fear of Him (Psalm 119:24-26; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Do you remember the following illustration? You can take a frog, drop it into a pan of hot water, and it will immediately react to the liquid and jump out. But you can take that same frog, drop it into a pan of tepid water, gradually turn up the heat, and the frog will sit there. In theory, at least, you can boil the frog alive if you turn the heat up gradually enough. It slowly adapts and accepts the temperature change until it’s too late. That’s what has happened to many of us, isn’t it? Those of us who are over 50, think of all the changes that you have experienced in your lifetimes. Take something as obvious as television programming or movies. Who would have imagined that the standards could have changed as much in the last thirty or forty years as they have? If it had happened all at once, most folk would have screamed bloody murder. You would have been shocked and offended beyond measure. And rightfully so! Many of you would have permanently turned off the television and never went to a movie again. But it didn’t change all at once, did it? Gradually, bit by bit, the level of decency and morality eroded. Sometimes we noticed. Often we didn’t! Because it happened so slowly, we conformed. Now many of us accept and watch things that would have once angered us without even blushing. When it comes to motion pictures, we don't even flinch when watching a brutal murder. We overlook the horror of rape and move on to the next scene. We accept lying and deception. Oh, and don't forget about fornication and adultery playing out before our eyes. All we want to know is who winds up with who at the conclusion of the picture! Even our children's cartoons are permeated with fighting, brutality, witchcraft, and even provocative half-clad female figures! We went from this:

TO THIS!

Why is this even in a movie for children?

Have you personally ever experienced the following? A conversation is taking place at the lunch table at work you are uncomfortable with. Perhaps an off-color joke, maybe just a bit of salacious gossip or a topic with some moral or spiritual undertones. You don't like it. You couldn't disagree more. Or an opportunity about your faith develops. The door is wide open. You know you should speak up. The pressure is on. Do you stand for biblical truths or do you remain quiet for fear of ridicule and rejection? Standing against the odds is never easy. As believers, we must be willing to stand for what is right in this godless society in which we live. It is vital! To do so requires scriptural convictions that we are willing to live for and, if necessary, die for (Revelation 2:10). Are YOU committed - at all costs - to following the Lord on the narrow way? Are you prepared to stand alone when necessary? Can you speak up in the midst of your co-workers when they express or uphold anti-biblical teaching? Every movement starts with one person who is brave enough to stand alone. That person could be you. If you are supporting what you believe in, it is always better to stand alone than not at all.
Until next time,
-Pat-