Counted Worthy: Making the Right Call When the Crowd Disagrees

Related Scripture:

“We must obey God rather than human beings!” Acts 5:29

I’m a pastor in Northeast Georgia, and we’ve been preaching through the book of Acts and learning about the early church. When I began studying chapter 5, I couldn’t help but think about the hostile environments we face as officials.

Every official knows the hostile-environment moment. You see it clearly, you make the call, and the gym or stadium erupts. The home crowd is on its feet, the coach is red-faced, and for the next few plays (or the rest of the night) you’re the least popular person in the building.

The apostles knew that feeling too. In Acts 5, they were arrested again for preaching about Jesus, miraculously released, and then hauled back before the Sanhedrin, the most powerful religious council in Israel. The high priest reminded them they’d been strictly ordered to stop. Their answer was simple and unshakable.  If I’m being honest, that’s an answer I struggle with. I want to please others. I want to make others happy.

The council was furious. They had the apostles flogged and ordered them once again to stop speaking in Jesus’ name. But then something happened that I think we could all do a little bit more of…rejoicing!  They rejoiced. They didn’t just survive the disgrace. They saw it as an honor.  As officials, we understand at least a small piece of this. Integrity means getting the call right, not getting the call popular. A good official doesn’t ask, “What will the crowd think?” He asks, “What actually happened?” Our job is to be faithful to the rules, not to the loudest voice in the stands.

Our daily walk with Jesus works the same way, but with much higher stakes. There will be times at work, at home, or even on the field when following Christ puts you at odds with the crowd. In those moments, Acts 5 reminds us of three things:

1 - We answer to a higher authority. The rulebook matters in the contest, but the Bible governs above all else in life.

2 - Faithfulness may cost us something. The apostles were flogged. Now, if you don’t know what flogging is, it was a brutal whipping, usually 39 lashes under Jewish law, the same punishment Paul later endured five times (2 Corinthians 11:24). We may lose approval, opportunities, or even comfort for the sake of the Gospel.

3 - Disgrace for Jesus is an honor. When we suffer for doing right, we stand alongside the apostles and alongside Christ.

This week, as you step onto the field or court, remember you don’t officiate for the fans, and you don’t live for them either. Make the right call, trust the One who sees it all, and count it pure joy that we get to live for Jesus!

Instead of a question to ponder, I would like to leave you with a prayer:

“Lord, we pray for boldness, just as the early church did (Acts 4:29). Give us the courage to obey You rather than people. Help us make the right call on the field and in life, even when it isn’t popular. Let us count it a joy to be faithful to Your name. Amen.”

Mickey Carroll  - FCO Chaplain - Lanier Football Officials Association (LFOA) - Clarksville, GA