Taking a Stand

“If we don’t stand for something, we will fall for anything.” –Irene Dunne

The angry mob roared, “crucify him.”  Pilate responded, “What has this man done?”  Pilate didn’t feel right about sentencing Jesus to death, and Pilate’s wife’s nudging didn’t make his decision easier.  She’d dreamt about Jesus and suffered all night about her husband judging this “noble man.”  This didn’t matter.  Pilate asked the mob, “Whom would you rather have set free, a murderous criminal or Jesus?”  In the end, Pilate told the crowd that he was washing his hands of Jesus’ death.  While his hands might’ve been clean, his conscious surely wasn’t.  He’d gone against his own values, and in effect, wetting his finger to be swayed by whichever direction the wind was blowing.  Likewise, there are many people in authority that do the very same thing.  Whenever they get power, they lose their principles to do whatever is popular.  Let’s aim to be leaders that stand for godly principles.  The long-term payoff of standing for what’s right always outweighs the instant gratification of selling out. 

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers (Psalm 1:1, ESV).