Standing Alone

 “But if you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.” 1 Peter 2:20
 
Standing with a group is easy. Standing alone can be brutal. Standing for what is right in the face of opposition comes with God’s blessing. God wants us to do what is right, regardless of the social “price tag.” 
 
During the last week of my senior year in high school, I faced a social problem. Many of us witnessed an act of vandalism by a fellow student. Half of the students felt that I should turn the student in. (I was the Student Council President that year.) The other half of the students felt I should just let it go and let the school officials figure it out. 
 
In the end, I had to face the question, “What is the right thing to do?” The Lord provided enough wisdom for me to work out a deal between the school officials and the vandal. Some students felt I was meddling too much, but I was content in doing what was right. Help your son or daughter with these key questions:
 

1. In this situation, is there a clear sense of right and wrong? Often our child knows what is right, but struggles over the social implications of doing what is right.
2. If you do what is right, who are you most likely to offend? I can’t find anything unbiblical about counting the social cost for standing up and doing the right thing. Helping your child see where the social pressure comes from can also help them minimize the damage.
3. Will a conversation with those people help at all? When I sat down with the vandal in the situation I mentioned above, I told him that the school officials needed to know what happened. If he turned himself in, the principal had agreed to let him pay for the damages and participate in graduation ceremonies. If he didn’t confess and the principal found out, he would have to pay for damages and be excluded from ceremonies. In this case, just by talking through the situation, a potential enemy made the right choice.

Not every situation ends so well, but doing what is right always receives the Lord’s blessing. Encourage your child whenever he or she chooses wisely, and especially at times when their peers discourage such behavior. 
 

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Camper Corner: What friends have you lost through making wise choices? Remember that growing up into adulthood means accepting responsibility for your choices and for choosing what is right even when your friends disagree.