Let’s be honest. Sometimes we accept things simply because they are connected to our politics, our race, our religion, or leaders we like and respect. We may not even stop to question it. If it comes from “our side,” we may defend it. If it benefits our group, we may excuse it. If a leader we support says or does it, we may try to make it sound right. But just because people accept something does not mean God accepts it.
Scripture reminds us that God sees deeper than we do. The Bible says, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). So while we may get caught up in speeches, titles, popularity, traditions, or appearances, God is looking at the heart. He is looking for truth, justice, mercy, humility, and righteousness.
So when politics tells us it is okay to overlook dishonesty, cruelty, corruption, or division, God’s Word says something different: “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy” (Proverbs 12:22). When race or prejudice causes us to treat one group as better than another, Scripture says, “God does not show favoritism” (Acts 10:34-35). And when religion becomes more about looking spiritual than actually living right, Jesus said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8).
That is why we have to be careful. God never told us to blindly follow any leader, any party, any group, or any religious system. He never told us to excuse wrong just because it helps us or makes our side look good. Isaiah 5:20 gives a serious warning: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” In plain words, we should never dress up wrong and try to make it look right.
Micah 6:8 says it in a way all of us can understand: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” That means God is not asking us to put politics above truth. He is not asking us to put race above love. He is not asking us to put religion above righteousness. He is calling us to be just, merciful, and humble before Him.
Jesus said people would know His disciples by their love (John 13:35). Not by how loud we argue. Not by how hard we defend our favorite leader. Not by how strongly we attack others. If our politics makes us hateful, if our religion makes us prideful, if our race makes us look down on people, or if our leaders make us comfortable with sin, then we need to pause and let Scripture correct us.
Psalm 89:14 says that “righteousness and justice are the foundation” of God’s throne. So maybe the question we need to ask is not, “Does my side accept this?” or “Does my leader support this?” or “Does my group agree with this?” The better question is: “Is this acceptable to God?”
Isaiah 5:20 gives us a sobering warning: when a people begin to rename sin as righteousness and truth as hatred, they have stepped into dangerous spiritual territory. God’s standard does not shift with culture, opinion, or convenience. What He calls light remains light, and what He calls darkness remains darkness.
So let us close with humility and courage. Humility to let God search our hearts, correct our thinking, and cleanse our motives; courage to stand for what is righteous even when the world mocks it, rejects it, or tries to redefine it. The call of Isaiah is not only a warning against society’s confusion—it is an invitation for God’s people to remain faithful, discerning, and anchored in His Word.
May we never become comfortable with darkness, and may we never be ashamed of the light. Lord, give us hearts that love truth, voices that speak truth, and lives that reflect truth—because what You call good, we will call good; and what You call evil, we will not excuse. Amen.
Minister A Francine Green, August 2026