The dark days of history have always been brightened by those who had the courage to wave the torch of truth. Societies slumbering on the bed of wrong have always been awakened by those with the backbone to sound the trumpet of truth. One such person was Rosa Parks, who defied the racial segregation of her day and time by refusing to give up her seat on the bus on December 1st of 1955. She was willing to stand for what was right and later famously said, “Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.”

Whether it was Rosa Parks on the bus, Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington, Patrick Henry in the colonies, the anonymous “tank man,” at Tiananmen Square, or Dietrich Bonhoeffer during the Holocaust, the world has always needed humble heroes who would stand for what was right—even if they stood alone. And in these evil days in which we find ourselves, God is looking for torch-bearers to shine light in the dark and trumpet-players to sound the truth to the deceived. He is looking for the faithful few and the righteous remnant who will go against the flow by believing, preaching, and living the truth. He is seeking out Elijahs who will stand for the truth in the face of evil. He is on the lookout for Daniels who will oppose idol worship at any cost.

Unfortunately, there are so few who will stand in the gap. As the Lord said in Ezekiel 22, “The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:29-30, KJV). The truth is, it is easier to be a hermit-crab Christian. It is more convenient and comfortable to compromise, take a back seat, sit on the sidelines, and ride the fence.

Doing what is right is almost never easy or comfortable, and it will cost you popularity and approval. But you are not alone when you stand for what is right. The faithful few are out there, as God reminded the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19:18). And more importantly, you’re never alone when you stand with the Lord and His truth. As the great Scottish reformer John Knox once said, “One with God is always the majority.”

So, will you speak up, stand up, and stand in the gap, even if no one else does?

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky. 

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word: