June 18, 2009 Peer Pressure
Today’s Bible Reading: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18–19; Colossians 4
Scripture Focus:
2 Chronicles 18:12–13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”
And Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.”
Observation:
Micaiah the prophet is minding his own business one day, eating his bagels and lox and cream cheese, when a messenger from the king comes bursting in to tell him the good news: “The king wants you to come prophesy for him concerning whether or not he should go into battle with the Syrians.”
Great.
The messenger goes on to tell Micaiah what to say to the king. “Listen. All the prophets of Baal are prophesying that the king is going to win. Don’t buck the crowd. Say something encouraging.”
Talk about peer pressure. Four hundred prophets are saying the king will win, but I hear God saying he’s going to lose.
In moments like this you often have a split second to make a decision. Should I go with the crowd or stand on my convictions and agree with the word of God?
Micaiah doesn’t hesitate. “As the LORD lives,” he says, “whatever my God says, that I will speak.”
Application:
It is certain that I will face moments like this—maybe only occasionally, or maybe every day. How I respond will depend on how tight I am with God, how sure I am of the truth of scripture, and whether I’m will to face persecution for my stance.
Micaiah was thrown into prison. That’s not likely for me, but for Christians in some countries, the possibility of imprisonment or death is very real. Scripture never does tell us what ultimately happened to Micaiah. Am I willing to stand firm on the truth of God’s word? To say whatever God says?
Prayer:
Father God, I know I can be a coward at times when it comes to speaking out with the truth. Make be as bold as a lion and as gentle as a lamb, just like Jesus.
