We live in a society today that wants us to conform: Conform to what they want and the way they want to live, but I want you to know today that we are called to be different. We are not called to blend in but rather to stand out.
SO as Christ followers we are called to stand out not to fit in to the mold of society, the book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul to the Christians in Rome who were predominantly Gentiles. He writes this because he realizes the condition of the people, Jews and Gentiles alike are sinners and all need a Savior. Look Romans 12: and what verse 2 tells us:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”.
This is a tough verse in the scriptures for us as Christians, for those of us who claim to follow Jesus Christ, because for some things it is hard to distinguish us from the world. It is hard for the Christian to separate ourselves from the world sometimes. This was a common problem 2,000 years and it is common problem today. That is why Paul tell us that we are not to be conformed to this world, he says we are not to fashion ourselves according to the world even when we are brought up with that very idea. In the past Christianity was new and the Old lifestyle was fresh in the minds of the people. Today we have the all TV, movies, internet, email, Instagram, Facebook, twitter and those things can be used to keep us in the world. It was once said “don’t make the world your fashion plate”.
This refers to a person who conforms to the latest fashion, the latest trend, the next big thing. And what Paul is teaching simply means we can’t fit in with the rest of the world and expect that we will be able to discern the will of God. WE can’t go out and do the things that the rest of the world does, which go against the will of God. You cannot do the worldly things and expect to understand the will of God in your life. Instead we are to be transformed by the renewal of our mind, transformed means to change one’s form too, we are change are form to the likes of Jesus Christ and that takes work. It has to be daily work, so that we can discern the will of God in our lives.
When Jesus, the King of Kings was born He did not conform to the world standards , the world would have placed the king on a pedestal, in a castle, with the best amenities that where available during that time, A King would have servants to wait on him hand and foot, for every wish and desire would be given. Instead Jesus stood out, born in the very place that defines God’s love and Mercy to all people, a place that would define His ministry. Instead of servants waiting on the KING, The King was a servant and waited others, the King washed the feet of others. The King touched the heart and souls of the afflicted. AS THE King, He reached out to the poor and the needy, His love and grace was found not just for the Jews but, also gentiles, the Salve owners but, for the Slaves, the rich and the poor.
No king would be found touching leapers, much less speaking to leapers, no king would be found forgiving those who have sinned against them, who did wrong against them, who transgressed against them, No king would sacrifice Himself for His people. No King except King Jesus. This King of Kings, this Savior, this Messiah, did not fit it, He stood out.
And we are called not to fit into the world but to stand out, to stand out for Jesus. We are called not conform to the worldly ways of life, but to stand out from them.
Jesus Commands us to be different than the rest of the world.
“We don’t benefit other people by being less of ourselves, sometimes you have to remind yourself, that it’s OK to be different then everyone else.
And that’s really all we can do: Be OURSELVES. But we’ve got to commit to it, because in the end, BEING OURSELVES is the best thing we can do, and it’s good to be different, that we should questions ourselves before we pass judgement on someone who looks different, behave different, talk different, act different, dress different walk different. If we can do that it will unite us. It’ll make us better allies. And, if the world isn’t destroyed in a mushroom cloud of hatred in the next few months, perhaps that unity will lead to a new era, a generation that’s not just more technologically advanced, but also sensitive to how differences aren’t weaknesses; they’re strengths.
Now is the time that we must stand, swallow our fear, and be unapologetically ourselves.
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