The cost of doing right can be an expensive one and it may become more so in the years to come. It’s part of what has become known as the cancel culture.

At times, it means risking friendships and popularity. It might mean the loss of a job or business, a social media platform, or a reputation from the world’s perspective. Sometimes it means the risk of legal action. Some believers must risk their very lives to serve and obey God.

The question is, are we willing? Are we willing to trust God? Are we willing the risk the cost of doing what is right?

We not only need to be willing to stand up for righteousness ourselves but we need friends who will speak truth to us. Too often we choose people who will tell us what we want to hear, not what we need to hear. Many people, especially unbelievers, actually hate the truth. They will attack anyone who challenges them on their behavior or lifestyles. But we need to be careful not to fall into subtle forms of the same reaction.

Today’s Readings:

1 Kings 21 & 22
Psalm 71.1-8
Proverbs 18.3-5
John 15.1-27

The Cost of Doing Right & the Cancel Culture

1 Kings 21 & 22:

Naboth, Ahab & Jezebel

What a great reminder we find in chapter 21, with the story of Naboth, that sometimes when we do what’s right there is a cost.

Naboth owned a vineyard next door to King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Ahab wanted it so he could plant a vegetable garden there. But since it was part of Naboth’s ancestral land, he believed it would be displeasing to the Lord to sell it.

If you remember from our reading a couple of days ago, God said Ahab did more to provoke Him to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him (1 Ki. 16.30-33). Today’s reading says that he was often incited by his wicked wife, Jezebel (1 Ki. 21.25).

And living up to her reputation, when Jezebel saw Ahab sulking about not getting his way, she hatched a plan. She used her power to have Naboth accused of blasphemy and stoned to death so Ahab could take what he wanted.

There are times, as in Naboth’s case, when it costs something very precious to us, possibly even our lives, to do what is right.

Several years ago, I read Eric Metaxas’ book Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. (If you enjoy biographies or history or you want a deeper understanding of what it means to be a believer in difficult times, I highly recommend the book.)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian and pastor. He was one of the few men who stood up to Hitler and it cost him his life. He was hanged (in an act of sheer revenge on Hitler’s part) just 3 weeks before the war ended. But though he was only 39 years old when he died, his life, his writings, and his story have impacted generations.

Hating the Truth

Sometimes doing right means not just doing right in our own personal lives, but being willing to stand up for truth in a more public way.

In chapter 22, Ahab was contemplating war with Syria. He had convinced Judah’s King Jehoshaphat to go to battle with him. Almost as an afterthought, Jehoshaphat suggested they find out what God had to say.

So Ahab called in 400 of his chosen prophets, really “yes-men” he could count on to tell him what he wanted to hear. To a man they prophesied victory. But Jehoshaphat still hesitated:

And Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?’ So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil’ (1 Ki. 22.7-8).

“I hate him” because he doesn’t tell me what I want to hear!

Ahab Sends for Micaiah

But Ahab agreed to send for the prophet of God:

Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, ‘Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement’ (v. 13).

Instead, after a series of interactions:

¹⁹ Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. ²⁰ And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. ²¹ Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ ²² The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ ²³ Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you” (1 Ki. 22.19-23).

The result? Ahab had him thrown into prison.

When Doing Right Costs Us

Maybe you haven’t been thrown into prison, but maybe you’ve lost a friend because you spoke the truth. Maybe you have been criticized by your family. Or maybe it’s not something you said but something you refused to do because it contradicts God’s Word.

It can be tempting to water down the truth or to compromise in some way because of the risks. But God calls us to be light in a dark world. We’re to speak the truth in biblical, appropriate, and respectful ways (Eph. 5.15; 2 Tim. 2.23-26) and we’re to live our lives in the fear of God and not the fear of man.

The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe (Prov. 29.25).

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Tim. 1.7).

Cancel Culture

Today’s social media-driven world has brought a whole new dimension to this issue. Certain groups have made it their goal to destroy the reputation of people with whom they disagree, often called the “cancel culture.”

Dictionary.com defines cancel culture this way:

Cancel culture refers to the popular practice of withdrawing support for (canceling) public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive. Cancel culture is generally discussed as being performed on social media in the form of group shaming.

Their definition sounds a bit benign in comparison to how some carry it out. It is often personal and mean-spirited. Even teenagers have attempted to cancel their friends and peers.

But whether in the days of Ahab and Jezebel or in modern-day America, believers are to fear God and not man. That means not fearing the cancel culture. Instead, we are to live our lives to please Him (2 Cor. 5.9) and trust Him with the results.

²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will (Matt. 10.27-29).

Speaking the truth can be hard at times. But God can and will use the seeds we plant though we may or may not see the result. Our job is to be faithful.

Loving Enough to Speak the Truth

Many years ago my husband and I counseled a man who was involved in a very ungodly business. He came to see us about another issue, but when we realized what he did for a living, we knew we had to confront him. 

Over a period of time, we lovingly confronted him many times, carefully taking him through Scripture and talking to him, seeking to help him see how God viewed his behavior and how it was connected to his other issues. It didn’t seem to go well for a long period of time. As he put it, “It’s just a job!”

Eventually, he repented, quit his job, and began to work on his relationship with God. But sadly, the consequences of all those years of living contrary to God’s clear commands were many.

But the question he asked us afterward stuck with me. He told us that he had been attending the same church for ten-plus years and many leaders in that church knew what kind of business he was in. He asked us, “Why didn’t any of those men love me enough to confront me?”

Jesus said:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5.16).

And Proverbs tells us:

Today’s Other Readings:

Psalm 71.1-8:

It’s All About Him!

The psalmist was neither looking to man to deliver him (“You are my rock and my fortress”) nor was he expecting to get his praise from man (“I have become a wonder to many”). Look at some of the phrases directed to God, “In You, O Lord, … for You … by You …” and “But You …” It’s all about Him!

Proverbs 18.3-5:

Clear, Clean & Refreshing Words

The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook (v. 4).

As with many of the Proverbs, these two statements parallel each other. The man in part “a” is a wise man. So we might say the wise man’s words are like deep water—clear, clean, and refreshing. They are like a flowing brook; they flow out easily and naturally because they are that which fills his heart.

John 15.1-27:

The Produce of the Vine

This passage is about two kinds of branches: those that bear fruit and those that do not. As we look at our lives we must constantly evaluate which one we are, but as my friend Nancy said once, we’re not responsible for the production of the fruit. That’s His job. We just have to faithfully abide in the vine. The fruit is the by-product of our relationship with Him!

Coming Up:

In the coming days, we’ll talk more about the importance of godly friends, self-esteem, the importance of habits, the cost of laziness, and living based on the hope that is within us.

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Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥

Note about this post:

I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer. 

A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”

I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.

Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)

I sometimes LINKUP with these blogs.