Today’s Reading, Exodus 22-24
Focal Scripture: Exodus 23:2 “You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice.”
“If others jumped off a bridge, would you follow?”, that phrase one way or another has been repeated to almost every child. It is conveying the point to not follow others who are making bad decisions and trying to get you to join with them. The hard truth is that we are all followers. It just depends on who we are following. When you follow those who do good and stand up for what is right you grow as a person. When you follow those who do wrong you get brought down to their level of depravity.
In the focal verse today God is giving expectations to the nation of Israel. He explains how they should live and treat one another. Then he explains laws with animals and property right. Then this verse is in the middle of it all and it drives home an important point. Don’t follow the crowds who do wrong. Stand up for what is right. Don’t say things that are not true and pervert justice. Why? Because our words matter and we must be known as a people who stand up for what is right.
The application for believers in this text is very important. It means that we should be known as truth tellers. Even when it goes against the crowd. We should be known as people who stand up for justice and declare it no matter the consequences. When the crowd is heading one way, we should be heading the other. When justice is needed we must stand up for the truth.
I can tell you from personal experience that seeing people follow the crowds and not stand up for justice is heartbreaking. I know of a situation where people know that something wrong is happening and nobody is doing what is right. These individuals are hiding the truth and protecting those who are guilty. The ramifications behind these are too large to see at the moment. However, it is ruining reputations of these people and causing damage to the one who have been wronged.
Our challenge as believers is to stand up for what is right even when others back away. We can’t be known as a people who allow evil to go unchecked. Our hearts must be to see sin called out and the justice prevail. Why? Because we are supposed to be different than the world. We are supposed to be people with high standards.
I challenge you today to not follow the crowd in doing wrong, but to follow the Lord in doing what is right! It reveals our heart and our character to those around in our lives.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading 25-27
