As I sit here at Edgar's Bakery and people watch, which I do naturally without even meaning to, I noticed something. I notice how lonely it is when you don't "fit in." Let me explain, as I was sitting here an individual walked in who stood out from the group of people in this bakery. I am sitting in one of the whitest republican communities in the area and in walks this individual who stood out in several ways. First, this person was very tall, a different race from the majority of customers, and was wearing a cherry red drees and a red wing to match. This person caught my attention as I am sure they did many others in the store.
This individual sat down alone and once they got the nerve, leaned over and asked this young lady if she would buy them something to eat. The lady was eager to help out but had to ask her dad. Once her dad got back to the table she asked, and her dad sadly declined. The vibe was instantly off between the girl and her father. He then leaned over and handed the individual some cash to get food. Talk about conviction. The individual went and got something to eat and then awkwardly left.
You may be thinking, why are you telling me this story? Well God spoke to me while watching this play out and I wanted to share with you what He revealed to me!
Born to Stand Out
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." - Romans 12:1-2
The first thing that God revealed to me is how much we should "stand out" here on earth. We do not belong here, and this is not our home (Hebrews 13:14-16). When people see us Christians, it should be like they are looking at an alien on earth for the first time or in the case of the story above, a tall person in a red dress who looks different from the others. Why? Because we are different. God call us as Christians to be set apart. He teaches us that we should be transformed by His word and our minds will be renewed so that we can discern what is good, pleasing, and God's will for our lives.
In the garden of Eden, sin was birthed and since then we have been a people of corruption and evil. So much so that in Genesis 6-7, God tells Noah that He is going to wipe out everyone on earth and start fresh. After the flood, and the earth started to repopulate, the people all spoke the same language and began to build the tower of Babylon (Genesis 11). The people were not relying on God, and they could do anything which was scary because they are again, corrupted by sin. God in order to stop the evil, separated the people and gave them all different languages. The amazing thing about God is that He is upholding His promise here to not destroy the people again. However, He is also still trying to find a way for them to not be consumed by sin and walk with Him.
Today, we have a way to be with Him because He sent His Son to die on the cross for us and take on our sins which once separated us from God. As believers and followers of Christ, we are now set apart and called to be "holy for I am holy" (Lev. 20:26). When people see Christians, we should stand out. It should be evident that we are followers of Christ.
"Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; and I will welcome you." - 2 Corinthians 6:17
In the letter to the church in Galatia, Paul describes to us what it looks like to live in the Spirit versus living in the flesh. In other words, how will we stand apart from those of the world? He claims that the works of the flesh are "sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar (Galatians 5: 19-21). He then goes on to tell the church in Galatia that when we walk in the Spirit, we will produce the fruits of the Spirit which include "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Gal. 5: 22-23). In addition, others will know we are Children of God because of our love for another (John 13:35). In a world full of sin and corruption, the fruits of the Spirit will stand out and gain the attention of others.
Born to Stand Up
It was very clear that the individual at Edgar's Bakery this morning, needed help. They were asking for help in finding food. What a vulnerable position to be in. Think about it... it was clear that they didn't "fit in" within the environment and now they are asking for help purchasing basic needs - food. I'm sure the young lady was asked due to her welcoming nature. She gave off a sweet demeanor and was so eager to help the individual. As Christians, we should be eager and willing to help those in need. It doesn't matter if they look and/or are different from us. We are called to love everyone around us. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave His is One and Only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," Did you catch that? God loved the world. He didn't send His Son to die for only those who look like him (if that's the case, I would be in trouble- newsflash Jesus wasn't white), those who act like Him, are in the same financial status as Him, etc. No, He loved everyone, and He came to save and serve everyone while he was on this earth.
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." - Matthew 25:40
When we serve other, it's not only a calling from Christ but it is also a form of worship. It glorifies Him and in fact is like we are serving Him directly. Mark 10:45 states, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve." We should be eager at any chance we get to serve and follow in Christ's footsteps as Christians. It does not matter how different they are from us because scripture tells us that we should "love our neighbors as our self" (Matt. 22:39) and to even "love our enemies" (Matt. 5:44). It is a challenge for sure but one we should take on and lean on God's Spirit to help us love the way he loves us! Remember the fruits of the Spirit? That when this comes into play.
Born to Obey God
"Don't grieve God's Holy Spirit. You were sealed by Him for the day of redemption...be kind and compassionate to one another." -Ephesians 4:30,32
As Christian's, God gives us the not only the gift of salvation but also the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives within us and helps us follow God's commands and transforms/sanctifies us while we are here on earth (Acts 2:38-39; Titus 3:5; Eph. 4:23-27; John 14:25-26;1 Peter 1:1-2). Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot live the life God calls us too. It's not by our strength but by His!
When we do not follow in the steps of the Spirit, we grieve the Spirit. For example, when the father in the story told his daughter he wasn't going to help the individual, this is like us telling the Spirit we aren't going to serve someone. The daughter, like the Spirit was so eager to serve but the father (flesh) denied the request. There was instant separation between the father and the daughter. I could feel it all the way from my seat. What an awkward vide! It's the same when we deny or grieve the Spirit. In Isaiah 59:1-2, we are reminded that "God's arm is not too weak to save, and ear not too deaf to hear. But your iniquities are separating you from God." When we choose to live by the flesh instead of obeying the Spirit we are causing this friction and separation with God (Romans 7:8).
Let us live a life we are called to live. As Christians, we are born to stand out from those of the world, stand up and serve those around us in love, and we are born to follow the Spirit God has gifted us. I encourage us to lean into our calling and lean into the Spirit when we don't feel like doing what we are called to do. Your reward will be in heaven. Amen.
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