Everyone likes to belong, but that doesn’t mean we should conform to the standards of this world. Instead, we should strive for a transformed heart…
“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 12:2)
I’ve always been one of those people who likes to fit in. I don’t want to look or act in a way that says “outsider,” “weird,” or “not like us.”
I’m sure this stems from the dog-eat-dog world of public school somewhat, where fitting in felt like survival. But it’s also rooted in the fact that we all want to belong. And one way we do that is by conforming.
We dress like others do. Talk like they do. Act like they do.
We take on the characteristics of what surrounds us so that we are more acceptable to others. Because no one wants to be left out or rejected. So we mold ourselves to the world around us.
And find ourselves farther from God than ever.
A different kind of transformation
We are supposed to change. To transform ourselves into a better version of what we once were. But that transformation is not to be to the standards set by the world we live in.
It’s supposed to be to those set by the next one.
Living a Christian life means acting in accordance with God’s wishes. And to know those wishes, we first need to transform ourselves so that we can recognize His will.
Will living righteously make us popular? Liked and admired? Will we gain power, money, and fame? Probably not. At least not by the standards of this world.
But we will by the only standard that matters – God’s.
We might still be labeled as weird, left on the outside. But when we look around, we also might find others that are right there as well. Those who transformed rather than conformed.
We can still belong. To God and to His people here on earth. Isn’t that more than enough?
Have a blessed Monday!
Looking for more encouragement and inspiration? Try these posts:
Why You Should Embrace Your Uniqueness
Inspirational Monday: Taking the Narrow Road
Why Raising Kids Different Shouldn’t Be Bad
Leave a Reply