DAILY DEVOTIONAL TODAY – February 15, 2025 || Our Daily Bread [Daily Devotion] | MamClaireTV

Devotional Message:
(Exodus 23:2)
"Do not follow the crowd, in doing wrong."

Observation: Standing Alone for What is Right

Have you ever watched the classic movie 12 Angry Men from 1957? It’s an old black-and-white film, but its message is still powerful today. In the movie, twelve men are chosen to decide if a young boy is guilty of a terrible crime. At first, eleven of the jurors quickly agree—guilty. They want to finish the trial fast, go home, and return to their lives. But one man—Juror Number 8—doesn’t rush to judgment. He stands alone. He has doubts. He isn’t sure if the boy is guilty, and he believes they should talk about it more before making a final decision.

At first, the other jurors get angry. They pressure him. They insult him. They call him names. They want him to follow the crowd, to agree with them, and to stop making things difficult. But Juror Number 8 holds his ground. He calmly asks questions. He looks closely at the evidence. And slowly, his courage helps others to think more carefully. In the end, the other jurors realize the boy might not be guilty after all. Because of this one man’s bravery, justice is served.

Now, this story reminds me of what God tells us in Exodus 23:2: “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.” It is easy to follow others, especially when we are afraid of standing out. Sometimes, the people around us are doing things that we know are wrong—cheating, lying, gossiping, or being unfair. And when we are alone in thinking differently, we can feel pressure to just go along with everyone else.

We might think:

"Everyone is doing it. Why should I be different?"

"If I speak up, they will laugh at me or get mad."

"I don’t want to cause problems."

But God is calling us to be like Juror Number 8—to stand up for what is right, even when it’s hard. Sometimes doing the right thing means standing alone, at least for a little while. But