Stand Out
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (New Living Translation, NLT)
And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Acts 4:29 (New Living Translation, NLT)
We are called to be different from the world. Believers are to stand out rather than conform. When people conform, they are fashioned and molded into the same shape as everyone else. Those who conform follow the pattern of the world’s system, saying and doing whatever everyone else does. Conformers act like trained animals, doing tricks at the command of the so-called trendsetters. Conformers don’t think for themselves.
We are to stand out from the crowd. People should be able to tell that we aren’t like everyone else. How do we accomplish this? Do we preach at everyone we meet? Do we wear Christian t-shirts everywhere we go? Do we plaster our cars with every Christian bumper sticker known to man? Of course not. Those things aren’t what makes us recognizable as followers of Christ. After all, even some unsaved people have Christian bumper stickers, etc. That proves nothing. While bumper stickers and t-shirts are not a bad idea, there is a better and more effective way to stand out.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
The thing that makes the greatest impact and sets us apart from others is when God’s children choose to walk in the fruit of the Spirit. This passage lists what some say are nine fruits of the Spirit, but really they can all be summed up in the first one listed: love. When we walk in love, we exhibit all of these qualities. And people take notice when we do.
On top of that, when we live by our Bible-based convictions and calmly and quietly refuse to go the way of the world, people see it. While this does take a certain amount of God-given boldness, but we don’t have to get in people’s faces with it. We can simply be steadfast and immovable, yet not self-righteous and showy. In addition, we don’t need to point our what others are doing wrong. We can be a shining light by living right and not making an issue of what sinners are doing. After all, sinners sin- that’s what they do.
Just love people and stand by the convictions God has given you. As you do, people will notice that you aren’t like everyone else. Eventually, they will want what you have- and then they can be led to the Lord.
