“My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths.” – Proverbs 1:15
Are you different? When we think of the word “different,” we usually think of it in a negative light. Most people would view it offensive if you called them “different.” We live in a world where people strive so hard to be like everyone else.
Yet, this is exactly the opposite of what God has called us to be as believers. If you are living for Christ, you should not only accept being different, but you should also strive for it! Proverbs 1:15 says, “My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths.”
God does not call us to be like the rest of the world. When we are living in Him, producing fruit (as John 15:5 instructs us) we will stand out as “different” from everyone else. And this is exactly what God wants from us!
When we are different, people take notice. Now, understand that “different” does not mean “weird.” You don’t have to be weird to be different. We can simply be different just by living as the Bible instructs us to. So many people live by their own code. And that code is usually self-serving.
“What is in my best interest?” “How would this benefit me?” “What do I get out of it?” These are the questions the world asks. But when we seek to live like Jesus, it is not about us…but about Him.
And when we make our lives about Him, we will be different in a way that others look to. They will begin to ask questions like, “Something’s different about that person, what is it?” That is when they will begin to look deeper into your life and pay closer attention to you.
This is what God intends because when others begin to look at us closer, they should see the love of Christ in our hearts. As our vine, His love should overflow into every area of our lives. They will quickly understand that what makes us different is that we have Jesus in our lives. And that “something different” points to Him.
That is our mission as believers. When we are different, others will notice. And when they begin to notice, we have a chance to make a real impact. Will that impact point them to us or to Jesus? Allow “being different” to point those around you to the One who rules your life! My friend, this is the greatest thing you could possibly do.