Don’t Be Normal. Be Different. Take the High Road.

I warn you! DON’T click on THAT link!!! Because I did. I clicked on a link that was in my timeline. The link led me to a well-known actor speaking at the Tonys Awards with such vile and profane words against our President that I quickly exited out. Here’s what God says to us about that:

~ Colossians 3:8 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”
~ Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up that it may give grace to those who hear.”
~ Matthew 12:37 “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.”
~ Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

How “different” are we from what is “normal” to others? Some say that “It’s NORMAL to say it like you feel it. It’s normal to be angry, speak hatefully about people, and on and on.” “Normal” to some is ranting and raving right along with everyone else who is just downright bitter about whoever and whatever.

“Normal” isn’t where God called us to be. He called us to live a radically abnormal life where kindness, love, joy and peace rules. Believing that way makes us not just different, but we are also difference makers. We take the High Road.

In Matthew 5, Jesus told us to be glad we are treated unfairly and wrong. What? THAT’S just not normal. In Matthew 5:11-15 He gave us a completely different way to handle those normally cranky folks. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for, in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

There are many differences to be found in devoted God-followers. These differences are seen in our relationship with God, in our place in the world, in our purpose in life, in our personal goals, in our commitments, in our motives, in our values, in our choices, and in our beliefs. One of the greatest differences is found in the attitudes of our hearts:

~ We are LOVINGLY different — extending His love freely and unconditionally to others.
~ We are TRUTHFULLY different — believing the truth and loving the truth, we speak the truth and live the truth.
~ We are MERCIFULLY different — knowing that God’s mercies are new every morning, we extend His mercies to those who have failed and disappointed us.
~ We are PRAYERFULLY different — we pray in faith, we pray because of who God is and what He can do, we pray because of what God has said in His Word. We pray because we have the assurance that God hears us and answers our prayers.

We are NOT normal. We are DIFFERENT, and DIFFERENT never felt and looked so good! I think I’ll cruise on over to the High Road. How about you?