True believers will often seem different, strange, or extreme to the rest of the world.
Not speaking of people who are radical about religion, but about those who are radical about keeping their intimacy with God. The difference shows.
A true Christian loves Jesus and loves people (all our commandments are rolled into two – love God and love people) stays committed to loving even during hard seasons, does the right thing when no one is looking, and doesn’t quit.
In a modern society focused on instant gratification, success and going with the times – living with that level of integrity can make you look ‘strange’ to others.
People are encouraged to follow their hearts, but the Bible teaches us that the human heart is devious. We are encouraged to go with the popular trends, labelled conservative, boring and rigid. But the ten commandments haven’t changed with the changing times.
Faithfulness to Christ and His teachings – is treated like an endangered trait. Being obedient to the Word, completely committed to your time with God, staying faithful in a marriage, staying chaste as a single, keeping your promises to people, treating all people with respect, having good manners, helping the vulnerable, speaking up for who’s right, or even small acts of integrity – like returning a grocery cart, having civic sense or giving back extra change – might seem extreme to outsiders, but it is exactly what God is looking for.
Represent Him well – even in the small things.
You and I are called to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s special possession, called out of darkness into light (1 Peter 2:9)
To be clear, it does not mean shunning people because they are different from you. Or judging others. It just means you learn to love God and love people more sincerely.
Proverbs 3:7 states, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil”.
That means being distinctly different because you choose love, peace, joy and integrity over cultural trends. Peculiar. But so be it, for HIS glory.
#Amen #JesusPeople
