Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 1 John 3:7

Everyday every person has to make many different choices. Often these choices that are made are influenced by others around the person.

Not every person is able to stand strong enough on his own to go against the common flow in making choices. People do not like to stand out as different or to go against the flow, so they make choices that are not always the right choice to make.

John tells the people to not allow anyone to lead them astray, but to always do what is right, just as Jesus did.

Making the right choice to do the right thing is not always easy or popular. The world, as a whole, wants to do what feels good or meets the need in the moment, regardless of the long term impact. With this, those in the world will work hard to lead others astray to do what is wrong, rather than the hard right thing.

Pressure from media and peers push people to live as the world does in sin and personal pleasures. Many believers often give in to the pressure, rather than stand for God. God has called every believer to live a righteous and holy life.

Each one is to turn away from all sin and not be influenced by the world, but be the influencer for God. Believers are given God’s Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen them to make the right choices and to be kept from being led astray into the sinful practices of this world.

The more one chooses God’s way of doing things, the easier it will become to continue to do them. It will be harder for the world to influence the true believer.

You are allowed to choose the path you want to take each day. This choice is to either follow God’s ways of doing things, or the ways of this world.

When you became a believer, God had called you to be righteous and holy as He is righteous and holy. Do not allow yourself to be led astray by this fallen world that is promoting sinful practices, but be the influencer for God’s ways of living.

Do the right things out of love for God and for others, not out of legalism or to be liked by God. Be righteous as He is righteous.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will choose God’s way of doing things; that you will allow the Holy Spirit to lead you; that God will strengthen you to resist the influence of a fallen world; and that you will be righteous before God and man in all that you say and do.