Don't Blend In
While cleaning up around the house I spotted one of these guys, a walking stick bug. They are aptly named, as their shape gives them a camouflage that protects them from most predators. They are content to spend their day eating on leaves, while avoiding the birds and other things that might eat them. Their whole life is made to blend in with their surroundings and survive for another day. They are not the only insect that way of course, many have markings or other tools to help them blend in.
The sad thing is that's also the way that some Christians live their lives, always trying to blend in. But the truth is that Christians should stand out from the world around them. Our desire to live according to the Spirit and not to the flesh makes us different from the world, and that is a difference everyone should be able to see. The Bible is full of examples of this, like Daniel, Joseph, John the Baptist, Moses, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Even when given the opportunity to blend into their surroundings, they stood by their faith in God and stood out from the world.
Today Christians should also stand out for what we believe. One person said that "if the world fits then you're the wrong size. " We should be different in how we spend our money and time, by what we value, and by what we shun. Jesus said that the world will know we are Christians by our love for each other, that our love for others will stand out in a world full of hate.
In an increasingly polarized world, our love for everyone regardless of race, age, or any other status makes us different. Our calling of people to live by a higher standard than how the world lives makes us different too. This is not just in the big moments either, but in the everyday routines of life. Weekly church attendance, daily bible reading, and regular service all make us stand out from the world around us. Because we know we have been made dead to the world and alive in Christ, we can be different from those around us. Christians don't blend in, we stand out, because Christ is our example. Work to be different this week from the world, in what you read, watch, consume, say, and spend your time. Live in such a way that people notice you in order that you can point them to Jesus.
