Do you think I'm strange? Ok, maybe not the best question to ask. I can hear you laughing right now. "Of course I do!" you say! Well, you may think I am the strangest person you know, but in reality I am very normal. But, I WANT to be strange! I want to be different.
Peter, in his epistle to the Christians scattered throughout what we know as modern day Turkey, reminds them over and over that they are to be "strangers" in the world. For believers in Christ, the world is not our permanent address. The world is our temporary address and our permanent address and home is in Heaven. Therefore, we are foreigners in this world, "strangers". As a believer in Christ, we are to have different values and standards than those of the world. What might it look like to be strange? The world says be first always. Strange says serve others and put yourself last. If someone insults me, the world says I am to insult them back. Strange says love them and do not retaliate. If someone hurts me, the world says seek revenge and hold a grudge. Strange says to forgive them and pray for them. If someone jumps ahead of me in line, the world says huff, puff and show them how angry I am. Strange says, let them go first! If the cashier at the grocery store is impossibly slow, the world says complain to the manager and give them "the look". Strange says, give him or her an encouraging word and smile. If someone cuts me off on the highway, the world says HONK really loud and long! Strange just smiles and says it's ok, I'm not in a hurry. The world says I am busy and don't have time to care. Strange says slow down and listen, really listen. The world says talk about others and be critical and judgemental. Strange says, be compassionate and merciful and shut your mouth! When I am suffering, the world says blame God and everyone around me. Strange says, God cares for me and He will not waste my suffering. He will use it to refine me to make me more like Christ. I can trust Him and rejoice! I can use my suffering as an opportunity to share why I have hope and WHO my hope is in. The world says read that #1 Bestseller, Strange says, it goes against God's standards and instructions, don't read it. The world says you've got to see the #1 movie! Strange says the subject matter and dialogue are contrary to what pleases God, don't watch it. The world says ask for that raise, you deserve it and threaten to quit if you don't get it. Strange says respect and submit to authority and have a good attitude about it, work as working for the Lord. The world says if I don't like the President, I can show the most outrageous disrespect for him. Strange says I must submit for the Lord's sake and respect the office, even when I disagree with the politics.
I wish I could say I am strange all the time, but sadly a lot of the time I'm not. Many times I am normal, I am the world. In fact, if you were in the store of my wireless carrier last Saturday, you could testify to how really normal I am! As part of God's family, through Jesus Christ, I am called to holiness. I am called to be a walking, talking advertisement for Jesus. I have to examine myself and ask how really effective my advertisement is. It can't be very effective if I am rude, impatient, selfish and prideful. Strange is different. I want to be different from the world. I want to be like Christ, but it goes against my sinful, human nature to be like Him. It goes against "Me" to be strange. It is only with the Holy Spirit in me can I begin to be strange. Each morning, I must pray, "Lord help me to be different, help me to be strange. Help me to be a good representative so others will see and glorify You."
Dear friends, I urge you , as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2: 11,12
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
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