Have you as a Christian wondered how to relate to your non-Christian friends? This has been a battle for me for the longest time. I always felt that I never could really show that I was a Christian to my non-Christian friends, and honestly up until a certain age I really didn't even have but 1 or 2 non-Christian friends because of it. I felt they wouldn't understand me and judge me. I was scared.
As I got older I began to feel bitter about my Christian upbringing and felt that the church was too strict and legalistic. I began to more and more mold myself around the idea I needed to be more like the world for non-Christians to want to be a Christian, or honestly for them to like me. Out of college I even decided it was more about being a good person and not about any do's and don'ts.
My thought was that being a good Christian was about being "Culturally Relevant" so I formed myself even more so to the world. Dressing more like my non-Christian friends, I picked up drinking with them, listening to the same music even if it didn't have a good message, going places I knew were not good, going to shows that I knew were just filled with cussing and all kinds of graphic jokes or material that was totally making light or entertainment of sinful things.
Up until only recently in the last couple years has God been slowly turning my heart around to see things differently. Now that I am spending more and more time in worship and reading the Bible, it is becoming more and more clear to me that Jesus did not at all command His disciples to conform to the world.
- John 15:18-19 - " “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." NIV
- John 17:14-16 - "I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." NIV
But these things make me more and more different than my non-Christian friends. I am feeling the separation and I notice that they notice that I don't do the things I used to with them. No one has written me off or anything, but I notice they look at me a little different, and I see the question in their eyes why is she not doing that? No one has asked me yet, but I'm sure in the near future it may come up.
So interestingly yesterday the sermon was talking about this. The point being made was of this very thing. The example given by the pastor was one of his own experience. He stated that he ran into old friends and they got together to eat and drink. He went with them to hang out and He was the only one in the group that did not drink. He said it was awkward but it opened up conversation about God and what God had done in his life since they had seen each other last.
This was really encouraging to me and reinforced to me what I think God has been trying to get across to me over the last couple years. My job as a born again Christian is not to conform to the world, looking more like the world, doing things more like the world. My job is to focus on God and be renewed my mind in Christ, bathing myself over and over again in worship with Him and His word so He will transform the world around me for His glory!
Did you hear that? Our job as disciples is NOT to change ourselves to be like the world, but to focus on God so HE can change the world around us for HIS GLORY!
- Romans 12:2 - "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" NIV
I never could get this before. I always thought the Christian message is too hard and my church is too legalistic. Now, churches can be legalistic and my church is no exception. But the message of Christ stands true ALWAYS and will draw hearts by the power of Jesus and His love. So the idea of don't throw the baby out with the bath water. I'm also Not saying we should hate and banish all our non-Christian friends, just that we should keep to what we know to be right even when we are with them.
Jesus message, the word of God, and His example of reaching the world, by being different, being love to the world and standing for what is right and true, should be our compass! What does the verse above say? " Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is" We do not have to be more like the world to reach the world. It is Jesus job to save it, is our job to be like Him, vessels full of Him, so HE can Save through us!
Contemplating this is such a relief isn't it? Takes the pressure off. But also comes the understanding that the world will not like us either sometimes and treat us badly. But the Savior Himself has prayed for us so we can endure and be protected from the devil and his evil schemes. What a Loving Awesome God we serve!
So as I was looking for a picture for this post I also ran into this picture too. I thought It was so beautifully symbolic for this message as well.
Even me going to Church since a baby, I looked like my friends, like these matches. But when God touch me and with the flame of the Holy Spirit I became a new creation! I became Changed! Guess what happens to all the matches standing next to the one touched? They catch fire!
So don't worry about what the matches around you are doing. Your job as a Christian is to let the Holy Spirit's fire in you, set the rest of the world around you on fire, For Our Loving Savior and His sacrifice for Us! Isn't that So COOL!!!!
So Take Courage My Friend! When the world around you tries to pressure you to change to be the same, remember let the change in you be your witness! You might be surprised what God can and will do!
Amen!
Kori
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