Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.
– Exodus 23:2a (NIV)
A majority does not equal rightness. In fact, a majority can amount to nothing more than a mob imposing its will on everyone else. One of the main reasons our Founding Fathers set up our government in the manner they did, was to protect the rights of the individual from being infringed upon by the majority, even if the majority was the government.
The crowd has an agenda and they have muscle to throw around. They will use every resource at their disposal to silence any and all opposition. Many times throughout human history, the minority, and sometimes a single individual, has had to stand for what is right. If we look at the Bible we see people like Daniel, (Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego), David, and Jesus. It often takes a great deal of courage to stand alone from the crowd. It is usually accompanied by criticism, rejection, or persecution.
As is the case with each of the above mentioned men of the Bible, one might even face death, or the threat of death for standing for what is true and right.
I am praying, that I myself, find the courage to stand for what is right. Self-preservation is a difficult thing to overcome. We often think that great men and women do great things, but in reality ordinary men and women are moved to stand when others will not. The act of doing what is right seems such a simple thing, yet it eludes even the strongest of men when faced with going it alone.
Lord, grant me courage and the strength of character to do what is right.