“Christians make a difference in this world by being different from this world;
they don’t make a difference by being the same.”
from Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian
The Bible says, "He had not beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him." Jesus was a carpenter like his father. For thirty years he lived a life much like his peers, so much so that when his time came to declare who he really was, people scoffed.
Compare it to the annoying little boy on your bus telling you he's going to be President someday. Uh huh. Hard to imagine.
So it isn't surprising Christians often get "you think you're better than me" from others or "oh sure, Miss Holier than Thou" or "goody two shoes." But this isn't how we're to be different in our world. While we are to be holy as He is holy, I don't think the light we're supposed to project is a beacon of righteousness, beckoning all to follow the rules.
Jesus stood out to others and drew people in because of His love.
As a follower of Christ, I should stand out for MY love, not for my ability to keep commandments or memorize scripture. I should be more concerned about being different in the way I love others and my God, than using church lingo or maintaining my "witness." It's easy to dismiss someone who talks or walks different, but unusual love cannot be ignored.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Let us be different in our love, friends.
For more interpretations of this quote, visit Debbie at Heart Choices.
7 comments:
This is such a great post! His love is life-altering! I'm so grateful for it.
Wonderful to see so many other women out here across the blog lines who love Jesus! It tickles my heart!
Oh Tami, as you know, I so agree!! It's all about love. We can have the lingo down, attend church every time the doors are open, quote Scripture but if we don't have love ...forget it. Yes, we are on the same page today!
Blessings,
Debbie
Bingo! That was good. We do need to stand out not blend in. It doesn't matter what other think, its what we demonstrate daily in our lives. Thanks for sharing. Have a good day.
"As a follower of Christ, I should stand out for MY love, not for my ability to keep commandments or memorize scripture."
Amen. Amen. Amen. Our light can only be the love of God in us as we love others. Thanks for getting to the heart of "being different for Jesus." Love says it all.
LOVED . . . your take on this . . . "Let us be different in our love".
THANK YOU for sharing & encouraging today!
Excellent post my friend!
Very convicting. I tend to fall so far short in the "love" dimension of life. Sharp-tongued and self-absorbed...that's me in a nutshell. Lord help me to truly love like You do!
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