Being Different

Being different can be thought of as either bad or good.  Many people do not want to be viewed as different because that word often places them in the "bad" category and at the center of attention.  When someone is different, they are often considered weird, out of place, not fitting in, or inferior.  Believe it or not, God wants Christians to be different – but in a positive way.  Think about this: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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 12:1-2). Notice these things about being different in a positive way:

1)      Non-Conformity.  The text says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world.”  When a person conforms to the thinking and living of the people of the world, they often “go with the flow” either by saying things that are not good or acting in ungodly ways.

2)      Life Change.  This verse identifies a change when it says, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  The mind is where change needs to begin.  To renew the mind, one must be saturated with, and functioning under the authority of the written Word — the Bible

3)      A Spiritual Difference.  This phrase points to a specific kind of difference - “what God’s will is.”  A godly, different person is one who is in step with God by filling their mind with God’s Word, and by listening to, learning from, and following God's commands. The will of God is lived-out when a person turns from existing like the world suggests and changing his or her thoughts to what God says.

4)      Difference Maker.  A clear declaration is pronounced by the expression “in view of God’s mercy.”  What is changed is being different in a positive, godly way.  God’s mercy is extended to everyone who believes in Christ and receives Him as Savior.  When they submit to God’s involvement, that means that they are ready to “offer [their] bodies as a living sacrifice[s]  To give everything that a person is and has to God is reflected in how that person lives his or her life.

Are you different?  Are you different in a good, godly way?  Have you determined to stop following the actions and attitudes of the world?  Has your life been transformed?  Do you realize that you are the recipient of God’s mercy and that you need to present your body as a living sacrifice to God?  Let’s be different together.

Our Biblical Responsibility

Have you ever wondered what it is that God wants you and me to do?  Many things are identified in the Bible concerning how a person ought to live, but the prophet Micah summarizes God’s desire when he writes, “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

Thee three commands identified in this verse are: (1) To act justly, (2) To love mercy, and (3) To walk humbly with God.  So, what do these commands mean for ordinary people like you and me?

·        First, to “act justly” is to follow the golden rule; it is to act in a fair way towards other people and treat them in the same manner that you would want to be treated.  In other words, we are to do what is right by everyone. 

·        Second, to “love mercy” is to be kind, gracious and compassionate towards all people.  Not only are we to show mercy but we are to delight in participating in this kind of action wherever we are.

·        Third, to “walk humbly” is to recognize who God is and endeavor to be in constant fellowship with Him.  This happens through the reading of the Bible (which is God’s Word to us) and meditating on what He says.  Charles Spurgeon, an English Baptist preacher said, “Humility must be in the heart, and then it will come out spontaneously as the outflow of life in every act that a man performs."

Everything in our lives – whether thought, word or deed – should all bring honor and glory to God, build up other people, and further the cause of Christ.  So, the question each of us must ask ourselves is “Where am I when it comes to the actions of justice, mercy and humility?  Do I act justly by treating everyone fairly?  Do I delight at reaching out to others and showing the love of Christ in an encouraging way?  Do the motivations of my heart and my daily actions reveal that I walk humbly with the Lord?

Are you taking your biblical responsibility seriously?