It's okay to be different...

We live in a culture where they want everything to be the same. If you listen to the radio, all the songs almost sound the same. The televisions shows are the same type of reality TV about dating, or a dysfunctional family, making a business better, or promising fame and fortune to the next great act.

If you stand out as being different, people look at you oddly and try to get you to conform to the way that they do things. If you disagree with what they are asking you, they call you names like intolerant or old fashioned.

For example, I have a friend who is single. She has determined that she is going to be celibate until she gets married. She's joined several dating sites, including eHarmony, and was surprised at the number of men that have stopped talking with her because she has chosen not to casually lend her body as their play thing while they decide whether or not she's worthy to date. She is worthy because she has chosen to embrace God's ways.

Our problems are no different than the problems that people faced in the Old Testament, in the New Testament and through out the age of the church. Society is calling us to be like them. God expects us to be like Him. Our struggle is whose voice to listen to.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statues. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules. if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:1-5)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the congregation of the people of Israel and say to the, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am Holy." (Leviticus 19:1-2)

And if you think this was just for the Old Testament:

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (1Peter 1:14-16)

So... it's okay to be different than those that surround you. Especially when they are calling you to walk in a way that is contrary to the will of God. Let us struggle to keep the will of God more important to us than what the world around us is offering.