And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” 2 Chronicles 18:12
Years ago, I read of the Miligram Experiment. You’ve probably heard about it. The purpose of the study was to see how far the average person would go obey an authority who ordered them to hurt another human being. The subject of each experiment was ordered by the administering authority to deliver a series of increasingly painful shocks to another person – an actor who wasn’t really getting shocked. Even though the actors would plead for their lives, most people in the experiment, if instructed to do so, would gradually increase the severity of the shock, eventually delivering what they believed to be a fatal shock (if it were real). All the experimenter had to do, was firmly insist that the subject comply – The experiment requires that you continue.
I remember reading the study, hoping that I wouldn’t have complied. I want to believe that I would stand up, quit, and walk out of the study. Deep down though, I know that like almost everyone in the study, I would have probably been compliant. I know those who I think wouldn’t have obeyed. They are the kind of people who don’t care what others think. They are boat-rockers and wave-makers, and they don’t go along to get along. I admire those people, wishing I was more like them.
Today’s passage tells of one such man – the prophet Micaiah. In the story, King Jehoshaphat and King Ahab sought the will of God prior to a military campaign. Ahab’s 400 prophets predicted success. Dubious, King Jehoshaphat insisted on seeking a second opinion from the prophet Micaiah. When a messenger went to fetch Micaiah, the summoner admonished Micaiah to be compliant to Ahab – Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably. Micaiah cared nothing about Ahab’s authority and stated that he would be compliant only to God – As the LORD lives, what my God says, that I will speak (2 Chronicles 18:13). Micaiah wouldn’t be bullied into compliance but rather, would be obedient to God, no matter what.
I want to be like Micaiah. As a Christian, I shouldn’t be compliant to the world, just for the sake of conformity. As a Christian, I should be a wave-maker and boat-rocker. Following Christ and serving others, is always going to look odd to the world, but I shouldn’t be afraid of looking odd. Rather, I should be afraid of disappointing Christ. I don’t like to rock the boat though. I don’t like to stand out. I prefer to go along to get along. Following Christ though, means abandoning my way to follow him. Christ was radically counter-cultural and so, if I want to follow him, I must accept that sometimes, I must refuse to be like everyone else and I must be willing to make some waves.