Daily Encouragement: How Different Are You?

As teenagers we struggle to fit in with the "in" crowd or risk ridicule by said crowd, so we do our best to wear what they wear, talk like they talk, and go where they go. The thinking is, "If I'm not like them, I'm not as liked, wanted, or valuable as they are."

As we get older, many of us grow more comfortable in our own skin and allow our differences to shine through--understanding that just because we are not the same as everyone else, we are no less valuable as a person. At least we accept that up to a certain point.

For believers or followers of Christ, we are called to go further, to stand out even more, to be God's holy people who do not blend in with the world. That's not to say that we can't dress with the trends or use the same "lingo" or frequent the same hang-outs as those of our worldly counterparts--that is unless it causes us to lower our standards of purity and righteousness for ourselves.

So, how different are you since you gave your life to Christ? How does your life speak to the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit working in you?

"Before, you let yourselves be slaves of impurity and lawlessness. Now you must choose to be slaves of righteousness so that you will become holy. In those days, when you were slaves of sin, you weren't concerned with doing what was right. And what was the result? It was not good, since now you are ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life." (Romans 6:19b-22)

I urge you, sister, to take a moment today to ask our Heavenly Father what He might want you to do in order to "stand out" for Him in order to draw others to Christ.