A characteristic of a real hero is that he or she blossoms when things get bad. Just when it seems there might be no hope of correcting or living through a bad situation, a true hero comes to the front and tackles the situation. In other words, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” We probably don’t see this played out any better than in our extreme military situations. Soldiers will risk (and often sacrifice) their lives to do whatever it takes to save a fellow soldier or others who are in danger of hurt or death. They stand up for each other.
Another instance of the bravado of others is when their children are in danger. Just about any of us would give our lives to save the lives of our children. We stand up for those we love. An amazing story is that of Abraham to whom God gave a son in his old age. Abraham had lived 100 years without being blessed with a son who would be his seed through Sarah. We know that Abraham loved Isaac greatly after waiting all those years for his arrival. God spoke to Abraham about this and told him, “…Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2 NKJV). Abraham went about to obediently do as God instructed him, but God intervened after seeing Abraham’s faith. Abraham had taken a stand for God, and through faith, he was willing to do whatever God told him to do.
Christians must always take a stand for God with an even greater degree of strength than would be exercised in saving our own lives or those of others. We often sing a song entitled, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” The second stanza says, “Stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey; forth to the mighty conflict in this His glorious day. Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes. Let courage rise with danger and strength to strength oppose.” The number of foes who are against God and truth is always much greater than those who are His followers. That sometimes makes it seem like an impossible task. Yet, when things seem impossible, think of Abraham’s faith and the stand he took to be obedient to God. A part of the last stanza of the song says, “To him that overcomes a crown of life shall be.” Eternal life is the reward the faithful will receive at the Judgment.
We’ve all heard the old adage that “those who stand for nothing will fall for anything.” Christians have many things for which to take a stand. First of all, the faithful must “stand in awe of Him [God]” (Psalm 33:8). After all, He is the great Creator and the One to be feared when we disobey Him. The psalmist said, “My heart stands in awe of Your word” (Psalm 119:161). It is God’s Word that tells us what we must do to be acceptable to Him. Christians must stand in the Lord’s grace. “This is the true grace of God in which you stand” (1 Peter 5:12).
Christians are advised, “by faith you stand” (2 Corinthians 1:24). Paul said to “stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free” (Galatians 5:1) from the bondage and result of sin. He also said to “stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Satan is crafty and knows how to hit you where it hurts! Further, in verse 14, Paul told them to “Stand… having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” The faithful must “stand fast in the faith” (1 Corinthians 16:13) and “stand fast in the Lord” (Philippians 4:1).
To be pleasing to God, Christians must take a stand on many things. Every soul will make a stand at the Judgment Seat of God to “give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Resolve to make that final stand one where you will hear “…Enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:21)!
