Let’s Be Different
Just go to social media or the news if you enjoy hearing ranting and raving about this or that. We’ve gotten so used to it that we consider it just “normal”. Me? I exit out of that atmosphere quickly!
How “different” are we from what is “normal” to others? Some say that “It’s NORMAL to be stressed, fearful, overwhelmed, angry, sad, and it’s okay to have a bad attitude.” Some folks snap at the least resistance to their way of doing things. Then there are those who agree to disagree. Those “normal” characteristics are highly overrated!
I cringe when I am in the company of people who carry negativity around with them like it is their comfort blanket. In fact, their “blankie” is Murphy’s Law which states: “If anything can go wrong, it will.” “Nothing is as easy as it looks.” “Everything takes longer than you think it will.” “If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.”
In my humble opinion, I think Murphy’s Law stinks! Who wants to live with that negativity mindset? Not me. My contention is that “normal” isn’t where God called us to be. He called us to live a radically ABNORMAL life where potential and possibilities loom before us every day. He called us to confidence, bravery, courage, kindness, love, joy, faith, hope and peace. Living in that mindset makes us not just different, but we are also DIFFERENCE MAKERS. We take the High Road.
Jesus told us to be so different that we can be glad in the face of being 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 and grumpy folks. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely 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.”
To live our best life, God wants us to be DIFFERENT. It will be different from the way the world and the enemy of our soul wants us to live. And it will be different from the way many of the people we know want us to live. It will be DIFFERENT when we don’t side in with hateful, grumpy, cynical, negative, and angry people.
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, our motives, our values, our choices, and 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! Let’s be a difference maker and take a “low road” rider’s hand and show them the exhilaration of victory, joy, excitement, peace, joy and happiness on the high road!