“For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)
Have you ever done something you were ashamed of, to please the people you were with?
Maybe it was agreeing with an opinion that wasn’t your own, or using language that you normally wouldn’t, or acting in a way that was not very Christian. We’ve probably all done something that we wish we hadn’t because we wanted to please and fit in.
Our generation is as sinful as the one that Jesus was pointing at. We are surrounded by temptation and things that are wrong, masquerading as right. It can be hard to tell the difference sometimes, unless we listen to that whisper inside of us, the nudging of the Holy Spirit, which points us in the right direction.
If we strive to satisfy the world around us, we may find ourselves denying our values and turning away from God. We might comfort ourselves with the thought that how we act on the outside is different than what we feel and believe on the inside. But that’s an empty excuse.
How can we hope to be welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven when we are not welcoming it here on earth?
There will be many opportunities to stray from our faith — in word, deed, and thought — but we need to hold firm to what we know is right. Even if it means standing out and standing up when others ask us to make the wrong choices.
Peer pressure isn’t something we leave behind after high school. It follows us throughout life, in our workplaces, in our families, in our friendships, and even in our churches. We may have successfully said no to that cigarette by the bleachers, but we still struggle with reigning in our minds and mouths.
Even if we think we would never turn away from God, the right circumstances can make any of us fail. Peter made this bitter discovery when Jesus was arrested.
So be strong in your faith and proud of your God. If a dozen people walk away because they don’t feel comfortable with your personal relationship with God, it’s worth it if one person’s heart and mind are opened.
Happy Easter, everyone. He is risen!
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