We face all sorts of peer pressure.
Even if we’re surrounded by people who identify themselves as Christians.
Since we’re not going to be exempted from such pressure until we graduate to the next life — where everybody is perfect — our challenge is to ALWAYS be concerned first about what God thinks we should do.
Yes, we’ll have to accept some alienation at times if we’re going to be true to faith. You’ve felt that isolation at work or at school or among extended family or perhaps even in your own home.
You’ve heard the words that you should just go along with the plan the “everybody” wants.
It’s vital to remember that “everybody” should include God.
And it’s vital that God’s voice should be the One telling you that He’s cool with the plan.
The cost of flawed listening is too high and we shouldn’t make faith-reflecting decisions based only on the testimony of humans pushing personal agendas.
This topic was prompted this morning by a passage in I Kings 22 that involved a prophet named Micaiah who was asked to be a “yes” man for Israel’s King Ahab. The king wanted to launch a military campaign against a foreign king who had earlier taken control of an Israelite city.
Ahab knew in his gut that the 400 paid prophets in his kingdom were not in tune with Jehovah and, although the king was a basket case spiritually, he wanted the endorsement of a legitimately faithful prophet.
Before Micaiah spoke, a messenger was sent to Micaiah from King Ahab to prompt the prophet to endorse the words of the other prophets who said, “Attack!’
In essence, Micaiah was told to just go along with the other prophets and all would be fine.
“Don’t rock the boat, Micaiah. Don’t seek God’s wisdom. Just agree with the others,” was essentially the message to the faithful prophet.
Micaiah’s response?
“But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.”
This is a good example of how we should resist peer pressure that doesn’t include God’s voice.
Let’s keep Micaiah’s example in mind the next time we face peer pressure to do something that might not be the Lord’s will at work or at school or at home or even at church.
Peer pressure is all about gaining approval from others. Join me in making sure that the One exerting the most pressure is the One whose approval we MUST have for gaining eternal life.
As always, I love you
Martin
