“And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere…” — Acts 1:8 (NLT)
Being a witness isn’t always easy or comfortable. At times, standing out for Jesus might mean looking like the weirdo or the outcast. It can also feel like cultural suicide or even career suicide.
But you know what? We should look different from the world around us. In fact, we should stand out. Jesus certainly did. His followers did, too.
Sadly, I think this is one of the more dangerous things that has crept into Western Christianity at large. This desire to look just like the world. To not rock the boat or let others label us as extreme or different.
Many times, we hide this with the desire to be “winsome” or “all things to all people” (which we should be). But in doing so, do we actually look any different? If we don’t live differently—or if we are not dissimilar from the world—then what are we doing?
Why would the world, or a lost person, ever feel the need for Jesus in their life? What do we have to offer if we don’t let Jesus change us? If they can’t see that Jesus is renewing us, then why would they want what we are preaching?
Not Perfect
I’m not talking about being perfect. Many times, standing out and being different means being willing to be real about the fact that you aren’t perfect. We always need grace from Jesus daily. And it’s absolutely not because of what we have done in our own strength. On the contrary, it’s because of what Jesus is doing in us.
To my shame, I can remember times in my life when I felt uncomfortable publicly aligning myself with Jesus. Sometimes, I feared looking different. And sadly, I acted out of my own laziness. I found it inconvenient to go out of my way to say something for Jesus or to care for someone’s eternal well-being.
But I can also remember countless times when following Jesus has brought remarks of shock from others. At some point in life, following Christ will put us in the crosshairs of society, neighbors, or even family. It should, at least.
Following Jesus will shape our beliefs, our convictions, and the way we live. And that means, we’re not going to look like the world around us. If we never stand out, we may need to ask ourselves an uncomfortable question: “Are we really following Christ, or are we just following our own plans for our lives?”
Trying to stand out with you,
Posted in A Word from the Pastor