There is a movie made in 1957 called Twelve Angry Men. It starred an all star cast and was about a jury of twelve men that are judging a murder trial. The lead star was Henry Fonda and his character stands firm in the belief that though the evidence seems clear cut and the rest of the jury wants this young man guilty he wants to go through it all again, Every time a vote is taken, he stands all alone, firm in the fact that he doesn't believe that this young man is guilty. The other jurors grow more and more impatient and some even turn the disagreement into a personal battle and attack on Fonda's character. But he hold fast, keeps his focus, and urges his fellow jurors to reexamine the case and all the evidence. The longer he goes the more the votes begin to shift. Eventually all twelve men agree to return a not guilty verdict. All because one man held his ground. All because one man stood tall and held his ground.
In my life there have been times where I was forced to take a stand and I would like to sit here and tell you that I stood firm and didn't fold but that would not be the case. There have been times where I have caved under the pressure. We all face times when it's hard to stand alone. We all experience days when we seem to be on the other side of the fence from everyone else. I have felt that pressure to compromise as I am sure you have, and it is easy to lose perspective on what is important to cling to and what isn't. Sometimes I realize I was wrong about something, sometimes I still believe I am right but it isn't worth fighting for, and sometimes I stand firm on what I know is true and worth fighting for, Knowing the difference is probably one of the hardest things to do.
A wise man once said, "Stubbornness is a virtue - if you are right!" As a Christian, I need to be stubborn about the things God says are right. Always stand firm on the essentials. Focus on the main thing, the truths that are most important and worth fighting for. I need to be single minded about my pursuit of Christ, His kingdom, and the things that He deems are important, not my junk. This all takes persistence.
If you do these things, there will be times that you will stand alone. It may even be for a long time. But be willing to compromise on nonessentials. Let go of what isn't important, and be comfortable admitting when you are wrong. (I am terrible at this but I am working on it.) I have found that if I am humble in my convictions it may even attract others to my point of view and I won't be standing alone for long.
If you only take away one thing I hope it is this: Stand your ground when you're right about something important but be willing to admit when you are wrong. Keep your eyes on Christ and depend on His instruction in His Word so you can learn the difference.
"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." 1st Corinthians 16:13 ESV
In my life there have been times where I was forced to take a stand and I would like to sit here and tell you that I stood firm and didn't fold but that would not be the case. There have been times where I have caved under the pressure. We all face times when it's hard to stand alone. We all experience days when we seem to be on the other side of the fence from everyone else. I have felt that pressure to compromise as I am sure you have, and it is easy to lose perspective on what is important to cling to and what isn't. Sometimes I realize I was wrong about something, sometimes I still believe I am right but it isn't worth fighting for, and sometimes I stand firm on what I know is true and worth fighting for, Knowing the difference is probably one of the hardest things to do.
A wise man once said, "Stubbornness is a virtue - if you are right!" As a Christian, I need to be stubborn about the things God says are right. Always stand firm on the essentials. Focus on the main thing, the truths that are most important and worth fighting for. I need to be single minded about my pursuit of Christ, His kingdom, and the things that He deems are important, not my junk. This all takes persistence.
If you do these things, there will be times that you will stand alone. It may even be for a long time. But be willing to compromise on nonessentials. Let go of what isn't important, and be comfortable admitting when you are wrong. (I am terrible at this but I am working on it.) I have found that if I am humble in my convictions it may even attract others to my point of view and I won't be standing alone for long.
If you only take away one thing I hope it is this: Stand your ground when you're right about something important but be willing to admit when you are wrong. Keep your eyes on Christ and depend on His instruction in His Word so you can learn the difference.
"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." 1st Corinthians 16:13 ESV
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