“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Often, when parents bring their children to me, seeking help with their bad behaviors, they tell me that their child has “fallen in with the wrong crowd.” However, most of the time, I eventually have to tell the parents that their child is the wrong crowd. Their struggles illustrate a common fact of human nature, you will become who you spend time with. In Hebrews 11, many examples are given of people in Biblical history that did amazing things in tough times by faith. We can learn from the witness of their faith that we have the power to live for Christ even in the midst of a bad crowd. That power comes from the Holy Spirit that was given to us as a non-refundable guarantee upon our inheritance in heaven and puts God’s seal upon us until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:10-14, Ephesians 4:30). We should take the power that God gives us and look to Jesus as our example. What He did on the cross is the substance of our faith (Hebrews 11:1) and serves as our motivation for why we too should make our life a living witness of the power of God (1 John 4:19). After all, he counted it a joy to die for us. The least we can do is live for Him (Romans 12:1-2).
