Exodus chapter 23 verses 2-5 (NIV)
“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favouritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.
When I was little and wanted to do something or go somewhere that my mum didn’t approve of, my excuse would sometimes be, “well all my friends are doing it/going” and she replied “well would you jump in the Clyde if everyone else was doing it?” I think in this modern age of social media, it has become even more difficult, especially for young people, not to be influenced by what their peers are doing.
Even in early history we read here that God gave very clear instructions to Israel about standing out from the crowd and doing what was right. It was His intention that Israel should stand out and set an example to the other nations because they were different.
And God expected that same standard in daily life and for people to treat others, even their enemies, as they would like to be treated themselves, sometimes Jesus Himself reiterated hundreds of years later. Since this then is such a key teaching of Christ, it is something He expects of us too. We also are meant to stand out and let the light of Jesus be seen in the way that we respond to situations, and in the way that we treat others.
Dear Lord,
help me to be bold enough and brave enough to stand out from the crowd, if it means doing what is right. Help me to remember that in everything I do, I am Your Ambassador. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.