To Stand for What is Right

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

To stand for what is right, can put us on the fringes of societal opinion. It can isolate us from those we care about and the people we interact with on a daily basis. At times, these pressures cause us to stay silent. Yet every day, there are people who are willing to take a stand for causes that go so far against what God would have for us.

So much energy has been put towards promoting racist, sexist, and nationalist ideology – even as far as masking those beliefs in a cloud of religion to more easily promote propaganda. We see it from afar, and have experienced it up close, choosing to more passively take a stand for what is right, because it seems easier to stand down then to speak up. Quiet opposition can feel like a more attractive option, particularly when we think – this won’t impact me. We hear that voice in our head that says – choose your battles wisely – but when did fighting for what is right become optional?

The Moral Compass

Make no mistake, the loss of integrity and goodness in this world impacts everyone as it weaves its way into our daily lives. The more we look away, the more we are saying that the sins of this world are okay. It’s okay when you lie to get ahead, because you have to take care of self at all costs. It’s okay when you cheat, because you’re just looking to be fulfilled but not wanting to hurt the person at home. It’s okay when you gossip, because you’re only confiding in a close friend, who has several other close friends. It’s okay to cause pain, grief, hurt, and discomfort, as long as you get to choose to whom it applies, and that person isn’t you.

Standing for Right

Yet, pain knows no boundaries. When the moral compass shifts, we don’t get to walk away unscathed. History has taught us that what can happen in one place, can most definitely happen in another. No human, no society, no nation is above the repercussions of selfishness, power, and false ideology. The suffering will come – we are walking down a path that cannot be undone. The long-term implications of our current behavior must come to fruition. So why do anything at all?

Because in the midst of our pain and suffering, God still reigns supreme. Take a look at the story of Daniel (Daniel 6). It was King Darius, caught up in power and his position, who allowed the passing of a decree that would impact Daniel, his most trusted advisor.  Daniel still said – no matter what, I will stand for what is right. Daniel was then thrown into the lion’s den, and even the King, who was remorseful for what he had done, could not undo Daniel’s punishment.

God Standing for Us

Yet Daniel didn’t need King Darius, because he had God. Where humans fail, God does not. God covered Daniel, and Daniel’s testimony had a chance to impact change for centuries to come. We still have a chance at spreading God’s love, even if that means we must stand alone, in the power of God. It was David alone but with God, who stood against Goliath to win the war. It was Queen Esther, alone but with God, who went to the King to save her people. It was Jesus alone but with God, who bore the punishment of our sins when He committed himself to dying on the Cross.

We don’t need any human in our corner to stand for what is right in the midst of suffering – we only need God. At the start of each day, if we turn our eyes towards Him, He will be with us, helping to direct our course. Where humans fail, God will not. To stand for what is right, is to stand for God, and He above all else, is worth standing for.

#GodBless from #LovesAnAction