Standing against the crowd: A common teen problem.

[HannahBanana]

As a teenager, I know how hard it can be to stand up against the crowd. It's easier said than done. I firmly believe that God wants us to follow Him, and stand up for Him, and His views. We all have had to go up against pure-pressure at least once, but have we truly stood out against the crowd for Jesus? What do you believe/think?

 

[Twist]

This brings Acts 4:13-21 to my mind. Think you said it pretty well, too.

"13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 14 But since the man who had been healed was standing right there among them, the council had nothing to say. 15 So they sent Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. 16 "What should we do with these men?" they asked each other. "We can't deny they have done a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But perhaps we can stop them from spreading their propaganda. We'll warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus' name again." 18 So they called the apostles back in and told them never again to speak or teach about Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard." 21 The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn't know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God." [Acts 4:13-21, NIV.]

 

[skipbeat]

Well Hannah we live in a world that does very little to uplift one another up and this is a big big world. Yes ounce in our life we will be forced to stand up for what we believe in and it's most important that we do so. For me when i picture myself standing up to "the crowd" for Jesus i don't think of a huge number of people and me trying to prove my point rather just saying a simple prayer when with people who wouldn't say a prayer is standing up to the crowd for me.

In this world where religion is looked at as a topic strong enough to set off a bomb. Just saying a prayer or doing the sign of the cross when least expected...is standing up to "the crowd" for Jesus. In this day and age i need not make a show of proving my faith. In my heart when i object to certain things and disapprove silently to myself or to a friend close by that is to me standing up to "the crowd" for Jesus.

The Lord knows all our positions and what we can do. He knows what is out of our reach, but he doesn't judge us by HOW we do stand up to him but rather how MANY times we stand up for him. We live in a complicated society and being a teen is the hardest years, but we are a generation with heart, and we can do and should do what we must to stand up for out faith....It's the least we can do for our Lord.

 

[dannibear]

Strength and wisdom are a very big part of standing against
the direction of the wave of culture. Jesus has always been
a huge example.

1.) In a world where if you were crippled no one would
take care of you, Jesus told all who would listen that these were
the very people they should take care of. Luke 14:12-13.

2.) In Jesus' time, women were not allowed to be in public
without a male escort, let alone learn from the Torah or
preach about God. Jesus crossed those barriers by teaching
Mary the scriptures, letting the woman at the well tell her
village about Him, etc. Luke 10:38-42; John 4.

3.) The Pharisees are what we would call the moral police
and the big dogs today. They were 'above everyone else', or
so they thought. But Jesus told them that they were like
empty vessels, looking good on the outside for everyone
to see, but having no heart for Jesus. Luke 18:9-14

What did Jesus have? The wisdom to know right from wrong.
Anything else? Yes. The strength to do what was right,
even in the face of death. That is why most of us hear that
same thing that some of us don't want to hear over and over again.
'Trials make you stronger, trials polish you into precious stone,
etc. etc.'

 

[WantToKnowHim]

I am with you,... Not only I have to stood up for God against a crowd, but I stood up for God against my family...

The road we took is really hard to pass through. But remember that in the end, we will taste the fruit of all our actions, and the mocking and everything is a good example that we are winning the fight...

 

[thin-kinh]

Perhaps your greatest weapon is to know that God is not dead, and there are people who will back you up, one being me. So I know you may feel alone, but just know...WE STAND WITH YOU!!