Afraid to Be Different?

by Ken Thomas

There may be virtue in avoiding "ring around the collar" and "dragon breath," but our society seems to focus on conformity. Anyone who is "different" gets ostracized by some people.Young people especially feel pressured to wear that which is in style, regardless of how goofy the fad may be. Wearing brand-name clothing is the key to acceptance by some. While we should not try to be weird or peculiar just for the sake of being different, we are urged to refuse the world as the mold for our life. "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind...”( Romans 12:2). Christians need to be changed into the image ofJesus and to influence the people of the world to be like him.
There once was a male child born into a poor family. They were hard workers, but didn't have much. The boy always tried to do what was right, and what pleased God. When he became a man he worked as a teacher. But his teachings were different. They seemed to go almost directly opposite to the way people wanted to live. On one occasion he told people that his way was the only way that was right-that nobody could go to heaven unless they followed him. He finally made people so mad that they killed him--on a cross--mostly because he was "so different."

May 2, 1993

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Afraid to Be Different? by Ken Thomas There may be virtue in avoiding "ring around the collar" and "dragon breath," but our society seems to focus on conformity. Anyone who is "different" gets ostracized by some people.Young people especially feel pressured to wear that which is in style, regardless of how goofy the fad may be. Wearing brand-name clothing is the key to acceptance by some. While we should not try to be weird or peculiar just for the sake of being different, we are urged to refuse the world as the mold for our life. "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind...”( Romans 12:2). Christians need to be changed into the image ofJesus and to influence the people of the world to be like him. There once was a male child born into a poor family. They were hard workers, but didn't have much. The boy always tried to do what was right, and what pleased God. When he became a man he worked as a teacher. But his teachings were different. They seemed to go almost directly opposite to the way people wanted to live. On one occasion he told people that his way was the only way that was right-that nobody could go to heaven unless they followed him. He finally made people so mad that they killed him--on a cross--mostly because he was "so different." May 2, 1993 Related Articles: Print this Article Discuss this Article Back to the Sermon Page	Mt. Juliet Church of Christ 1940 N. Mt. Juliet Road P.O.Box 248 Mt.Juliet, TN 37122-0248 (615)758-2274 Fax:615-754-2351 Email Worship Services: Sunday Early Worship: 8AM Sunday Bible Study: 9:15AM Sunday Late Worship: 10:15AM Night Worship: 6PM Wednesday Bible Study: 7PM