We have identified several factors as precursors of the glorious life. Anxiety must be laid to rest. Distractions must be avoided. The principle of delegation must be employed, and there has to be a devotion to a chosen cause. One crucial addition to this is the need to resist societal pressures. Unless we muster the courage to resist undue pressure from peers and the larger society, we may derail. There is what is known as the herd instinct or herd mentality. It refers to the tendency of people to conform to the behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs of a larger group without a critical evaluation of information or a consideration of other viewpoints.

Going by popular opinion can give you a high human rating, but doing the will of God will lead to glory.

Elizabeth faced herd mentality. At the birth of her long-awaited son, she named him John, a name indicated by the angel. Everybody kicked against it as we can see from our text. They felt the name was alien to their family tradition. “But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” Luke 1:61 NKJV. But for her insistence, society would have forced her to do contrary to God’s word. You are the only one who knows exactly what God told you. The choice is also yours to make whether you should go with what God has said or what society expects of you. Going by popular opinion can give you a high human rating, but doing the will of God will lead to glory.