“You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing.” Exodus 23:2a
Not a single man would have been so stupid—by himself. But there’s just something about a bunch of young men getting rowdy . . . together.
When I was in college, I found a great group of buddies. We lived in the same wing of the dormitory for several years, we played every intramural sport together, and we even had a name: The Association. Most everyone on our small campus knew us. Or about us. We were—and in some cases still are after nearly sixty years—good friends.
Sometimes during an unusually stressful time, like final exam week, we’d find ourselves in someone’s room, joking around with one another and essentially just letting off some steam. Because this was in the late 1960s, we’d sarcastically reassure ourselves that if we failed we’d all be going to Vietnam.
Someone would suggest that we go out for pizza, and like the lemmings traipsing to the sea, we’d go. Or someone would suggest that we get out a deck of cards and play hearts, which we would do for several precious hours. Occasionally an idea would come up that was not as benign as pizza or cards. And often, we’d all pile into our cars and go do that—not illegal things, mind you, just stupid stuff.
If you have been reading the past several chapters in Exodus, you know about this list of tough rules for the Israelites to follow. I’m sure listening to this list was as stressful to these people as getting ready for finals was for us. As we’re getting down toward the end of the list of laws, we bump into something simple and powerful. Something that sounds like it could have been written for my college experience: don’t follow the crowd in doing wrong.
As young men, we all faced this temptation. As adults, the allure toward doing wrong because our entire culture seems to be doing it—shaving the truth just a bit, saying regrettable things to people we love, clicking the wrong links on our electronic devices—the temptation toward moral failure is still overwhelming. And of course, young people—our children—face this terrible pull, too.
So, what’s the Bible’s straightforward command for this dilemma? It’s a simple don’t. No explanation necessary. Just don’t. God knows what we know. Following a crowd to do wrong is stupid. So don’t do it.
Decide that you will not succumb to the temptation make good on that decision. Make this decision every single time you’re tempted. Ask God to help you push away these distracting and foolish things. Set an example for your family and stand confidently for what you know is right. Do the same yourself. Encourage your kids as well. You’ll all be so happy you did.