Peer Pressure

People don't always share what they believe.

While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’ After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said, ‘He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not look with their eyes, and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them.’ Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him. Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God. - John 12:36-43

We have two different responses here to Jesus.

Some saw what he did and still didn't believe, while others believed and kept quiet about it.

Peer pressure is an interesting phenomenon.  It causes us to hide our true feelings and go along with the crowd, just so we don't stand out as different.

It makes it hard for us to know what people really want or believe.  If we are willing to be dishonest, to give up our desires for those of others, how will we ever be content in life?

Is it possible to feel good about ourselves if we are living a lie?  Maybe we can get so accustomed to the lie that we push it in the background and try to forget about it, but I think the truth is better.

So, the question is, can we live in the truth while being quiet about it, like the believers who said nothing for fear of being ostracized?

Or will we convince ourselves that we are wrong and the others are right?

It is our choice, isn't it?

More to come...