Good Morning Friends,
“Yet at the same time many even among the
leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess
their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved
praise from men more than praise from God.” (John 12:42-43)
None of us wants to stand out as different
from the people around us. We long to be accepted and respected by others. We long
to fit in with the crowd. That is so easy for us to see among teenagers. Peer
pressure is one of the strongest pressures upon young people for either good or
evil, depending upon the crowd among which they associate. The pressure is not
just upon teenagers. Adults are as susceptible to peer pressure as teens are. We,
too, want to be liked and accepted.
Jesus challenges us to put the praise and
acceptance of God above the praise and acceptance of men. Some of the leaders
who believed in Jesus were unwilling to do that. They wanted to be closet
Christians, believing in Jesus, but unwilling to let anyone else know it for
fear of rejection and ridicule.
There is a choice to make. Whose acceptance
is going to be more important to us? God’s or men’s? Jesus taught that there is
no such thing as a closet Christian.
“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will
also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before
men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)
If you haven’t “come out of the closet,” why
not make that choice today. Look for an opportunity to let those around you
know Who you follow!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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