Simply Standing

“And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.” Esther 3:5

Oftentimes, simply standing, in the face of adversity, in the face of compromising pressures; in defense of truth, in service to Almighty God.  Simply standing when it all seems to be falling around you, is not just the only thing you can do, but the thing you must do. The scripture tells us as sanctified Christians to “stand therefore” having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.  Standing when everyone is kneeling draws distinction, standing separates, standing for Jesus, brings glory to Jesus.  

Mordecai was of Jew in a foreign land.  He was a pilgrim in a strange land.  God’s people were living in a nation that was not their own, they were under cultural influences, worldly pressures, and outright temptation of every kind.  Haman was in a position of trust, and he influence over the king in Persia.  Haman was not a pilgrim or stranger.  He was in love with his status and intoxicated with the position of power he possessed within it.  Obeisance and reverence would have been second nature to the people of the land and something Haman would have expected; not unlike a handshake or similar type of greeting in our culture.  In the case of Mordecai, much like that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; the simple act of standing, i.e., not bowing, separated them from the people around them and put them in a position of peril.  I imagine, excuses could have been made, Mordecai could have justified it, maybe took the “just this once” road, but he didn’t.  He was a child of God and God had said thou shalt have no other gods before me.  He could not bow to another god or a man that thought he was god.  It’s unlikely he woke up that morning and thought “how can I offend someone today?”  “How can I be different than the rest of the world?”  I like to imagine he simply woke up that morning did what he always did.  Asked himself, “How best can I serve God today?”  Taking a stand for Jesus every day will separate you from the world and make you a pilgrim and stranger here.  You probably won’t offend everybody, but you will offend somebody.  You may not lose everything, but you will lose something.  Mordecai took a stand for God.  The reaction from Haman was wrath, wrath that lead him to convince the king to decree to kill all the Jews.  However, God had Esther strategically place to counteract the evil of ego, and she took a stand along with Mordecai for truth and right.  God takes care of his people.   

It is not for us to do a risk assessment, character evaluation, and popularity polling.  It is not for us to try and determine who we will alienate and who we will accept by standing for Jesus.  This is worldly business, not Christian business.  Sanctified people are dedicated and devoted to the service of God.  No matter what.  We take a stand for Jesus through the strength of the Holy Spirit.  In standing we divided, but also, we draw, or rather, allow Christ to draw the lost into himself.  When simply stand for Jesus, we are set apart for the glory of God, and we lift Him up so he can draw all men unto him.