Conformity versus Morality

Matthew 5:10-12 Great blessings belong to those who suffer persecution for doing what is right. God’s kingdom belongs to them. “People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do that, know that great blessings belong to you. Be happy about it. Be very glad because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did these same bad things to the prophets who lived before you.”

The pressure these days to depart from the truth, to forsake what God tells us is right, to dispense with it as the irrelevant babblings of an outdated church, is intense. Perhaps you’ve felt it too.

I don’t know about you, but I often find myself so … out of step with mainstream thinking. Not just on one or two issues, but on many issues. Constantly swimming against the flow is hard work and honestly, there are times when I find myself wondering ‘is this all worth it?’ There are times when I’m tempted to give up.

Perhaps you’ve been there too.

I think it all stems from the fact that if you believe in Jesus, if you take Him at His Word, if you’ve made that Christ-above-all decision in your life, the world is going to hate you for it. And that hurts, because all you’re trying to do is the right thing. All you’re trying to do is to live a godly and peaceful life. But the pressure on us to conform is intense, isn’t it?!

Matthew 5:10-12 Great blessings belong to those who suffer persecution for doing what is right. God’s kingdom belongs to them. People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do that, know that great blessings belong to you. Be happy about it. Be very glad because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did these same bad things to the prophets who lived before you.”

Conformity is doing what everybody else is doing, regardless of what’s right. Morality, on the other hand, is doing what’s right, regardless of what everybody else is doing.

Choose what’s right, for your reward in heaven will be great.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.

‹ Previous Next ›

Blessed by this devotion?

Share it with a friend!

Dig Deeper

• Blessing
• Faith
• Holiness
• Missional Living
• Prosperity
• The Holy Spirit
• The Word of God