Monday, April 21, 2014

Why are you trying so hard to fit in?


A movie came out a while back about an American teenage girl who traveled to London to find her father whom she had never met.  At the time he was running in an election for a seat in the House of Commons. When her presence and behavior threatened his chance for the position, she sought a friend’s help in learning how to fit in with her father’s social circle. At one point her friend questions her “Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?”

Today it’s hard to tell the difference from the church and the un-church because those who profess to be Christians look and behave the same as those who are not.   As believers we are born to stand out and too often we just fit in with the rest of the world. It’s hard to tell us a part.

We use words like sanctify and consecrate, yet they are meaningless for we do not set ourselves apart to be holy for the Lord our God as we are called to do[i].  How can the Lord call us His special treasure when we are no different from the world[ii]? Are we fooling God when we say we obey His commands and walk in His ways or are we fooling ourselves[iii]? Are we not copying the behaviors and customs of this world instead of letting God transform us into a new person[iv]? We need to lead a life that is worthy of our calling instead of living as the world does, hopelessly confused[v].

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time – to show us His grace through Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:9 NLT)

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, and God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9 NLT)

Why are you trying so hard to fit in with the world when you were born-again to stand out?



[i] Lev 20:7
[ii] Deu 7:6
[iii] Deu 28:9
[iv] Rom 12:2
[v] Eph 4:1, 17

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