When Standing for What Is Right Brings Opposition

Reflection

When I think back to the time before I was living as a believer in Jesus Christ, I remember how much I enjoyed being around people who thought like I did and shared the same values. Even when I knew some of the things I was doing were wrong, there was a certain comfort in being around others who were living the same way. If I wanted to party or go clubbing, I wanted to be around people who enjoyed those things, too. After all, a person who enjoys a particular lifestyle usually doesn't want someone coming along and telling them that what they are doing is wrong.

That may sound pretty obvious, but I think it is a good reminder when we consider Proverbs 28:4. The verse tells us that those who forsake God's law praise the wicked, while those who keep His law contend with them. In other words, when we turn away from what God has said, we can find ourselves approving of things that are contrary to His Word. But when we desire to live according to His commandments, our lives and convictions may put us at odds with those who choose otherwise.

And this is something we need to remember as believers. Sometimes we become upset when people hate us, mistreat us, or say hurtful things about us because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We may wonder why simply wanting to honor God seems to cause so much contention. We can also encounter people who profess Christ but live in opposition to His commandments. Whether someone openly rejects God's Word or claims to follow Him while disregarding what He says, our desire to live in holiness and righteousness can make them uncomfortable. It isn't necessarily because we are trying to provoke anyone, but because the standards we are seeking to follow are contrary to the way they have chosen to live.

Jesus prepared His disciples for this very thing. In John 15:18, He said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” He went on to explain that the world would hate His followers because they were not of the world, just as He was not of the world. And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” (Matthew 5:11 KJV)

He didn't tell them that everyone would welcome their faith or agree with their convictions. He told them there would be opposition, even false accusations, because they belonged to Him. But He also encouraged them to rejoice and be glad, reminding them that their reward was in heaven.

Examining Our Own Convictions

I think we sometimes need that reminder. We cannot expect everyone to agree with our desire to follow God's Word, and we shouldn't be surprised when standing for what is right brings opposition.

Our responsibility is not to win everyone's approval—it is to remain faithful to the Lord, even when doing so isn't popular.

There is another side to this verse that I don't want us to overlook, and that is a heart check. It is easy to recognize when someone else is praising or approving of wickedness, but what about us? How do we respond when unrighteousness is presented as something acceptable? Do we speak up when God's Word is being disregarded, or do we remain silent because we don't want to offend anyone? Are we truly opposed to what God calls wicked, or have we become comfortable with it?

Standing Alone in Truth

We can look at the account of Micaiah in 1 Kings 22. King Ahab wanted to go into battle, and he gathered his prophets to ask whether he should go. They all encouraged him, telling him what he wanted to hear. But Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from a prophet of the LORD, so Ahab called for Micaiah. Ahab already disliked him because Micaiah never prophesied anything good concerning him.

When Micaiah was brought before the kings, he was pressured to give the same favorable message as the other prophets. But he refused to simply tell Ahab what he wanted to hear. He spoke the word the LORD had given him, even though it meant standing alone and facing the king's displeasure. Micaiah wasn't interested in pleasing the crowd or telling the king what would make him happy. He was concerned with speaking what God had said.

That is a powerful example of what it means to stand by God's Word. We may not always be surrounded by people who agree with us, and there may be times when speaking the truth costs us the approval of others. But we cannot allow the desire to be accepted to become more important than our desire to be faithful to God.

At the same time, we need to examine our own hearts. It isn't enough to say we believe God's Word if we are willing to overlook or approve of the very things He tells us to turn away from. Our lives should reflect what we profess to believe, and our desire should be to honor the Lord in both what we say and what we do.

We cannot praise what God calls wicked and expect to remain faithful to His Word—
Stand firm for His truth.

Before You Go

Following Jesus means that our values and convictions will not always line up with the world around us. There will be times when our desire to honor God makes others uncomfortable, and there may even be times when we are mistreated because of what we believe. Jesus never promised that following Him would bring the approval of everyone around us. He told us beforehand that the world hated Him and would hate His followers, too.

But don't let the fear of opposition cause you to compromise what you know to be true. And don't overlook the importance of examining your own heart. Are you willing to stand by God's Word, even when it means disagreeing with those around you? Are you careful not to approve of what God calls wicked?

Remember, our example is Jesus Christ. We are called to follow Him, to walk in truth, and to live in a way that honors the Father. We don't have to be argumentative or seek out conflict, but neither should we be afraid to stand for what is right.

May our desire to please the Lord always be greater than our desire to please the crowd.