Courage To Follow - The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge
Courage to Follow
They brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. “Didn’t we tell you never again to teach in this man’s name?” he demanded. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!” But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” Acts 5:27-29
Eventually, we’ll all face it. Someone will ask us to do something we know is wrong in the sight of God or want us to take a shortcut that compromises our integrity or the integrity of what we are involved in. In either situation, if we agree, we’ll dishonor God.
What would you do if you were faced with a decision to either honor God and His laws or submit to the unrighteous laws established by a human authority? This can manifest itself in a variety of ways—everything from official or unofficial persecution of Christians in China, Pakistan, or elsewhere around the globe, to instances that make us uncomfortable or that might threaten our occupation or calling.
I felt fortunate that I was in professional football and could speak about my faith in a way that other coaches at public colleges and high schools are not permitted to do. There’s a rule of law that they must follow; if they break it, it could jeopardize their jobs and careers. And I appreciate that. After all, Romans 13 tells us to obey those in authority. And then, who knows what God may do? Either way, God may open other doors to share His story.
I find it interesting that in the situation described in Acts, Peter is one of the first to reply to the high priest—the same Peter who not too long before had denied he even knew Christ. So take heart—if we fail to put God’s law first, we can find comfort in the rest of Peter’s story. After denying Christ, Jesus reinstated Peter into his band of followers and ambassadors when He asked him this question three times: “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” And three times Peter answered, nearly the same each time, “Yes, Lord, You know I love You.” Christ responded each time by directing Peter to “feed My sheep.”
There is one rule of law greater than all the rules that man creates—the rule of law of the God who created us. Where God’s law and man’s conflict, God’s law always prevails. Followers of Christ simply must be discerning and obey His authority.
Uncommon Key > Obedience to God applies to all matters of authority. Have you played it safe because you didn’t want to deal with the consequences? You have to answer to God first and foremost, not man.
