Peer Pressure

In the Gospels, we learn a little about Pilate, the Roman leader who sentenced Jesus Christ to death. Why did he do it when three times he proclaimed Jesus not guilty of any crime? He told the Jewish mob, which insisted that Christ should be crucified, that he could find no fault in the man. But they persisted. In fact, they persisted so much that Pilate finally gave in to their demands. I don't think Pilate believed that Jesus was the Son of God, but he did believe in Jesus' innocence, yet he ordered His death. Instead of doing the right thing, Pilate chose to appease the people. He even went so far as to blame them for the death of Christ when he told them that he was washing his hands of the matter. What a weak and flawed character! He allowed peer pressure to guide him into a decision he knew was wrong. As a teacher, I try so hard to encourage my students to always do the right thing, even if it is the unpopular thing. I used to see a poster around school that read, "Stand-up for what is right, even if you are standing alone." Pilate is a perfect example that peer pressure doesn't just affect teenagers; We adults are just as prone to it as well. Today, let's all pray for God to give us the strength to do what is right...even if everybody else disagrees.

James 1:12 says, "Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life."

Dear Lord, please forgive me for all the times I allowed peer pressure to steer me in the wrong direction. Please give me the strength the stand-up and do the right thing. In Jesus name, Amen.