Take a Stand By Paul Chappell Monday, Oct 28, 2013 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue. Proverbs 28:23 In June of 1989, after weeks of protests for freedom and democracy in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, the authorities ordered a crackdown. · The army was sent into the crowd to brutally break up the protests. While no exact count has ever been revealed, it is believed that at least hundreds (if not thousands) of protestors were murdered—many of them shot in the back. · The most enduring image of the protest was a single individual who came to be known simply as “Tank Man.” This one man holding two shopping bags saw a line of army tanks rolling toward the center of the city. · He stepped into the street and stood in front of the lead tank. Even when they gunned their engines, · He held his ground. When the tanks tried to maneuver around him, · He moved to remain in front of them. o Finally two men came out of the crowd and pulled him from the street. o Though his fate is unknown, his courage has never been forgotten. All of us face moments when we must choose to take a stand for right even if it means saying or doing something unpopular. Even if no one else stands with us, standing for right is always honored by God. · Often we find that if we do take a stand, · Others will be inspired by our example and join with us. o The influence that we have in those moments should not be missed. When Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to bow down before his golden idol, the three Hebrew children refused. · Their courage was strengthened by being able to stand together. As a result, they presented a unified front to the heathen king. · They were thrown into a burning furnace, but · They emerged unharmed after walking with the Son of God through the fire. Today’s Proverbs Precept: Even if you must stand alone, never be afraid to speak out boldly for what is right.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:36:20 +0000
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