Dare to Be Different

Note: This post is mainly talking to teenagers or younger Christians, but can easily be applied to us as adults. We need to be reminded of these things once in a while so we don’t slip back into them.

Throughout the ages teens have desired to be “different” (if you don’t think that’s true, just ask your parents or grandparents).  They long to establish their own identity that is unique from anyone else and have people to notice them. More times than not they look, sound and act like everyone else around them. The current trend is body piercings, tattoos, and wearing skimpy clothing that reveal body parts that should never see the light of day. Language is used that would make a seasoned sailor blush. In their quest to be different they all end up pretty much the same.

 Webster defines different as: “(1) partly or totally unlike in nature, form, or quality, (2) not the same as”. Do you desire to be different, to stand out from others?

There is one way to be different than most of the teens around you and that’s living a Christian life. Jesus called his followers to be “lights unto the world” (Matt 5:14-16). Light is something that gets noticed, especially in a dark room. Jesus in this passage in Matthew is contrasting the life his followers were to lead and the world.  They were lights to the world, they were to be different and shine forth to be seen of the world so the world would know that they were different—that they were of God.

God has always commanded that his children be different from those around them. He has commanded that from the beginning. 

“Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, ...."  (Ezra 10:11)

 “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations” (Deu. 18:9)

He expects us to do the same today, 

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Rom 12.2) 

Conformed means to fashion or shape one thing like another. In other words, we are to be different (partly or totally unlike in nature) than those of the world.

How can you be different from others? There are many ways in which a Christian should be different from those of the world. I will only touch on a few here that affect your everyday lives and seem to be the most important to teens.

Dress—

”women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” (I Timothy 2:9-10). 

Modest is to be orderly, well-arranged, decent, that which is proper. With propriety (what is becoming or proper) and moderation (limit) means not to dress to be noticed or to bring undue attention to yourself. Think for a minute…If you are wearing an outfit that shows too much cleavage (shows your breast), or is too short that your belly button shows, will you bring attention to yourself? What about pants that are too tight or too low on your hips where when you bend over your buttocks show?  What about a skirt or shorts that are too short that you have to keep constantly pulling them down? I just described the clothing being worn by teenage girls (and adult women also). Just think for a minute….Do you think people will notice? You know they do and more so if they are of the opposite sex!  Does God approve? This verse says He wouldn’t. Dare to be different. Dress in a way that God would approve—modestly.

Speech—

”You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Ex. 20:7) 

 Vain means empty or without cause. To use the Lord’s name as if it were a common ordinary word is to degrade Him and show disrespect for him as Jehovah God. The most common expletive used today is God’s name. An expletive is an obscene or profane word; a word added as a filler (in other words, it’s not a needed word, it’s just added). Do you use “OMG”?  Do you stop and think what you’re really saying before you say it?  Why are you using this? Are you trying to be like those around you? To fit in? 

“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” (Col. 3:8) 

Dare to be different. Don’t use the Lord’s name as if it were a curse word. Don’t use filthy language, which could be anything from cussing to calling people names.

Conduct—

”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.” (I Peter 2:11-12 NIV) 

We are to live so as to show we are different than those around us. We are not to participate in sinful things. If someone calls you “goody two shoes”, take it as a compliment. You are doing what the Lord wants you to do. 

“In the time past you did the same things as people who do not believe God. Let that be enough. You did things you should be ashamed of. You did what you wanted to do. You got drunk. You got into fights. You took part in noisy feasting with dancing. You did wrong by worshiping idols. Those people are surprised now that you do not do the same wrong things they do...” (I Peter 4:3-4WE).

Do something before you leave the house in the morning.  Check yourself in the mirror, and ask yourself, "do I look like I'm professing Christ or do I look like I'm trying to fit in with the world?" If you answer "yes" to the last question, turn around and change your clothes.  Then check yourself again and say to yourself, "Today I'll act and talk like Christ would have me do." Then go out and do it.  Do you think people will notice the difference? Most definitely. Dare to be truly different.