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Brilliant physicist Albert Einstein once
said,
“The
one who follows the crowd
will
usually get no further than the crowd.
The
one who walks alone
is
likely to find himself in places
no
one has ever been.”
Fashion designer Michael Kors said in a
recent CNN interview, “Those that are different are successful.”
“The one who walks alone” and the
“different” people are standouts.
Did
you ever wonder how different
Christians should be? After all, the Bible says Christians
are “peculiar people“ (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9). Are we supposed to be weird .
. . or maybe exceptional? What does being peculiar
mean?
Peculiar in Titus 2:14 means “being one’s own possession.” The context talks
about Christians belonging to God. The word peculiar
has nothing to do with being strange or weird. It means that we are different
in that we belong to the Lord.
Some religious sects take this idea to
extremes. They seem completely otherworldly, since they’re so set apart as to
be aliens. Their dress, rules, customs, and way of life seem to have come from
somewhere else. (One wonders where.)
A
biblical Christian is set apart. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is
godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him (Psalm 4:3).
But
as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of
conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
For
this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from
fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in
sanctification and honour (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4).
As Christians, we are different because
the Holy Spirit abides in us and we are being conformed to the image of Christ.
What
does that Christ-difference look like?
- Kindness
- Love
- Patience
- Treating others fairly
- Peacefulness
- Respect
- Morality
- Honesty
- Self-control
- Modesty
- Humility
The
child of God has a different motivation. He wants
to glorify God with his life. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
He’ll be different!
If
you walk with God, others notice. They may not mean
them as compliments, but you might hear remarks like these:
- I notice you’re gone every Sunday (to church).
- I knew you would pay your bills.
- I notice your children obey without questioning. What’s your secret?
- You’re a man of your word.
- I notice you dress modestly.
- I feel the love in this place (church).
- We’ve noticed how you treat your wife and children.
- You’re always smiling.
- Why are you always with your children?
- I notice you never speak badly about others.
- You don’t understand; you don’t have problems like I do.
- Oh, I guess you wouldn’t be interested in going to (worldly entertainment location).
- You married such a good person, you have a perfect marriage.
The world—those not trusting in Jesus as
Savior—will not understand a true, obedient Christian. He will look strange to
them.
The Bible puts it this way. Notice the
“why” to our being unique:
But ye
are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
an holy nation, a peculiar people;
that ye should shew forth the praises of him
who
hath called you out of darkness
into
his marvellous light (1 Peter
2:9).
All that we are, all
that we do, all that looks strange to the world around us is for the purpose of
glorifying God. He alone deserves our praise. Worthy is the Lamb that was
slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory,
and blessing (Revelation
5:12).
Why
are we different? To give God glory. To be a living
testimony.
May God help us show forth His praise
through our lives! Let’s be godly different!
This was what my hubby preached on last night. This is a great post. Thank you. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Charity. God bless you and your family as you serve Him.
DeleteGreat points - to be different in our character and actions for the glory of the Lord, not just weird-different.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barbara! God bless!
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