I took a trip to Mississippi for engagement pictures this past weekend. On the way back, I stopped in Nashville for some coffee and to stretch a bit. Got back in the car and was back on my way. Trying to get back to the interstate, I saw a man walking on the sidewalk and he appeared to be shouting something. His hands were raised and from what I understood of his shouts he was saying, "You're my God! You're my God! Thank you! Thank you!" I guess he was just walking down the road praising God. I thought that was pretty cool that someone would praise God without reservation, without caring who's around or who may be staring.Now to the average person, that man walking down the street would be considered weird or strange. Some crazy dude walking down the street shouting gibberish at the air... Be honest here, what would your first thought be? To be transparent, mine was that he might be in trouble, or crazy. But no matter how strange it appeared to me at first, the fact was that he was a man simply praising God for all He has done.
Personally, I've always been a little different than most. People call me strange, weird, and other names that aren't worth mentioning. However, the difference between me and them is that I'm supposed to be different. It's safe to say that I'm supposed to be weird. My Bible tells me that I'm supposed to come out from among them and be separate (II Cor 6:17). So there's my calling to be different... to be weird. God's Word also tells me that God did not call me to be impure, but to be holy (I Thes 4:7). One more step further is that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance (Ro 11:29). They're irrevocable, they never change, they never expire...
So I'm supposed to be different because it's my calling that never changes or expires. When I separate myself from this world, I become closer to God, and nothing can separate me from Him or His love (Ro 8:38-39).
There are a lot of times that I've walked the opposite way of the world, didn't follow the crowd and I've been called weird, strange, stupid, etc. But the thing is, I'm supposed to be different. I'm a child of God. His Word says to be separate and I am totally cool with following God and not this world. God has too much in store for us to just walk away and be with the IN-crowd, the cool kids, etc. Being separate has benefits that are far better than anything this world could ever give us. Blessings follow people that are holy and separate (Nu 6:24-27).
Some people may see this whole "separate" thing as weird or having no fun, but God called us to be a holy and separate people. Separation is not isolation, but insulation. It's a protection from ungodliness. Being separate... being weird is the coolest thing you could ever do.
J.H.
