February 01, Critics

Today’s reading: Psalms 1-5

“Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him’”   - Psalm 3:1-2.

It can be unnerving when you have enemies who criticize or even persecute you because of your stand for the Lord and His righteous standard. Yet you should be more surprised and concerned if you don’t have enemies based on what Jesus said: “Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26). While you should not go out of your way to attract critics, you should not back off or back down from any stance for the Lord just because some people are upset because of it. Are you shying away from any bold public stand for Christ because you fear what others may say or are saying about you? Are you hesitant to be who God created you to be because of fear? What changes do you propose that will take you out of this fear groove?