Have you ever been on the internet, scrolling through Instagram or Twitter, or maybe listening to a podcast, and heard someone share the most bizarre, morally wrong, and altogether skewed perspective on a certain concept? Then, to your horror, you proceed to the comments and find people hyping the person up, seriously subscribing to that belief? And you’re left thinking, “What is this?!” IT’S NOT OKAY AT ALL! 

Yep, I’ve been there. Fortunately for me, I got the answer to the questions that plagued my mind from those horrid encounters. Ever since I heard Apostle Samson Ayuba say that some things are in vogue simply because of demand, it’s stuck with me. If there’s demand, there’s bound to be supply, and someone will always be willing to give the people what they want. The only way to kick a business out of the market is to boycott it and you’ll watch it disintegrate faster than a sandcastle under a torrent of water. If we stop endorsing and engaging with these wrong, absurd concepts and lifestyles, they’ll die.

But the thing is, no matter what you do, whether it’s wise or foolish, you’ll always have advocates. You’ll never lack people who will endorse you even if you’re walking straight to your death, which is just another sad reality. Even when you do what is right, some will still hate you for it. They’ll drag and troll you for being a person of dignity and integrity, for living the life of Christ. So if you determine your actions based on the validation of others, you’ll be running in circles; here today and there tomorrow. No matter what you do, some will cheer you on, and some will try to pull you down, but if your truth is based on scripture, you’ll know whether or not to act, regardless of how it fits into others’ narratives. Because, in the words of a wise woman, right isn’t always perceived as “good.” Sometimes the right thing looks bad, but it’s not, especially when it aligns with what God requires of you. If scripture confirms your actions, then you have all the validation you need. And if not, then you should take a step back and make the necessary adjustments.

A poem for context: 

I know a girl who lived off peoples' approval

So much that she lost herself. 

Caught between right and wrong, 

She aimed to do right but faltered,  

Stopping when the praise ran dry.

She traveled down the dusty path of acclaim, 

Aware of its steep price,  

Until she was left behind,  

Starved for the recognition she sought,  

From those she believed truly cared.

Until she realised 

It didn't matter what they said 

Praise or mockery 

It all came to a standstill 

In the light of her father's report and will 

The one alone she now sought to please.