Stand Out
Do not conform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. –
Romans 12:2
Most of us don’t like to stand out in a crowd, as the
cliché goes. We want to fit in, to belong, to be like everyone else.
Think about it for a moment. We want to wear the same
brand of shirt as all our friends. We want to drive a new car like our neighbor’s
do, whether we need it or not. We want our kids to participate in sports and
dance and all those things other kids do. And we want them to do it well, I
might add.
If we stand out, we want it to be because we excel at
things everyone else is also doing. We don’t want to stand alone, either
because we have voiced a different opinion or because we have made a different
choice. Yet, that’s exactly what we are called to do.
How can we be a light in this dark world when we’re
trying so hard to fit in to the darkness that surrounds us? We can’t. Because
when we do that, the darkness slowly extinguishes the light. It’s not supposed
to be like that. We’re to use our light to slowly illuminate the dark.
It’s never easy to be the person who says no, is it?
We don’t want to miss out. We tell ourselves this one time won’t matter. So we
go with the boys to a rowdy bar. Or we have a gossip-filled lunch with our
girlfriends. Or we scream at a child who makes a mistake on the ballfield. We
become one with the world.
We never consider that refusing to go to that movie
might cause someone else to hit pause and rethink their choice. We don’t
imagine that offering positive encouragement to a child who made a mistake
might bring more of the same from other parents. We assume that our voice won’t
matter.
That’s what we tell ourselves anyway. We make so many
excuses. The truth is we don’t want to make the hard choice. We don’t want to
face ridicule or be labeled prudish. We don’t want to defend our beliefs. It’s
just easier to stand on the fence. God didn’t call us to stand on the fence.
We are to be part of the world but, at the same time,
separate. We are to stand out and let our light show people a different way.
We’re to use Christ’s strength to remain strong when the attacks come. And they
will come. Jesus said we would have trouble in this world. He also reminded us
that He has overcome the world.
However, don’t be misled to believe your way is always
the only way. Or even the right way. Be careful not to condemn, to criticize,
to twist God’s Word to fit your own agenda. That pushes so many people away
from Christ. Love people and trust that He will show them a different way.
It is possible to rightly walk with Jesus in this
fallen world. It’s hard. The attacks are brutal. Spiritual warfare is real. But
we don’t walk alone. We have Christ with us and the Holy Spirit within us. We
have resources to fight back.
I don’t know what you’ll face today. I do know that
you’ll likely see temptation everywhere. You’ll have choices to make, sometimes
with little time to weigh it all out. God knows. He’s right there. He will help
you.
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