I guess we have all used the excuse at one time or another as a teen. “Well, everybody else is (wearing it/doing it/going there).” I suppose we all heard the same answer. “If everybody jumped in a lake, would you?” There you have the wisdom of Momma. Moreover, it is rooted and grounded with the Word of God.

The Bible is full of examples of “the majority being right” being inconsistent at best. In I Samuel 14, Saul had made a decree that anyone who ate would be put to death. His son Jonathan, unaware of it, found some honey, dipped his rod in it and ate a little. Much to his chagrin, Saul said he had to put him to death. The people cried out in I Samuel 14:45 to save his life. A chapter later, God, through Samuel, tells Saul to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites and Agag, their king. they were to wipe them out. The Israelites did, but spared Agag and some of the livestock. When Samuel came to inquire, after the excuse-making and twisting of the truth, Saul finally got around to the facts. The majority of the people wanted to spare those things, and he listened to the majority. As a result, Saul lost God’s favor, the kingdom, and his life (as well as his sanity, it seemed).

In the New Testament, people lined the roads to Jerusalem, throwing palm branches and even their coats on the path Jesus traveled. They shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” (John 12:12-13). Yet these were the same people who shouted even louder, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! His blood shall be on us and on our children!” (Matt. 27:15-26). It was the majority that was pleased when Herod put James, the brother of John to death (Acts. 12:1-2). It was that same majority that led Herod to imprison Peter (Acts 12:3).

In truth, “everybody” is not doing this or that. “Everybody” is not wearing this or that. “Everybody” is not going there. Sometimes it seems that way when we are kids, and even as adults. However, “everyone” is not drinking, dressing immodestly, telling dirty jokes, cheating on their spouse, neglecting their families, being unfaithful to the church, and so on. However, even if they were, shouldn’t we still do right ourselves? Jesus said the majority would be lost (Matt. 7:13-14). That is His way of speaking the truth Momma did so long ago. “If everyone jumps in the lake (of fire), will you?” (See Rev. 20:14-15).

Corey Sawyers