On Different Lives

If you've hung around me long enough, you've heard me say the words "your life should look different." I wanted to write a bit about where that verbiage comes from, what it means, and why I believe it.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." --Romans 12:2

When Paul writes, "do not be conformed to this world," what he means is that we should not act in a way that aligns with the standards of the world. Our standards, as Christians, should be different. Paul continues, "be transformed by the renewing of your mind," meaning we should be dramatically changed by the complete refreshing of our thoughts and hearts. The verse goes on, "by testing you may discern what is the will of God," meaning that by taking measures to check the reliability of God's word, by trying it out ourselves in our own lives, we may recognize the will of God for ourselves, which is "good and acceptable and perfect."

There are a lot of decisions I have made in the past and continue to make, adhering to the principles outlined in this verse. It is because Jesus is Lord of my life and because he changed me completely, that I, as a single woman, never spent time with members of the opposite sex alone, never texted or called them for extended personal conversations, didn't go on dinners that weren't dates, didn't accept a relationship that was anything less than consecrated and pure. It is why, as a dating woman, I didn't have sex or anything like it. When my husband and I were dating, we barely even spent any time alone, just the two of us. It is why, at my wedding, my husband and I carefully selected each song that would be played at our reception--so that those in attendance who did not know Jesus, but knew that we were Christians, would not misunderstand us or confuse our lifestyle with their own. It is why I don't drink in public: It's in a contract I've signed to be in leadership in my church, so out of respect for authority, I won't. But more importantly, I know what a stronghold it is for so many of the people in my life, so I refrain. Additionally, I know how it would look if someone were to see me with a drink in my hand in public; I would look no different from any other person drinking at the bar--and that's the point. Because I'm consecrated and called, I do not live in or believe in "gray areas." I live my life in black-and-white, which I believe to be quite biblical. I don't gossip about people, or judge them, or exclude them, or do anything that could possibly compromise the reputation of myself or my church or, most importantly, my God. I have been convicted by the Holy Spirit on these issues, and nothing will sway me otherwise. 

None of these things are restrictions for me. In fact, I find in retrospect that the time I spent not following Jesus felt like it came at a much greater personal sacrifice than living for him. Being consecrated and holy and different--that's my calling. It doesn't feel like a personal sacrifice because it involves me being exactly the person I am supposed to be, the person I was designed to be. In the same way that it would not be right to ask a fish to fly, because that is not its purpose, it would not be right of me to be anything less than what God has called me to be.

Ask yourself: Does your life look different from the lives of the people around you, or does it look exactly the same? Do people have to get to know you to know that you're a Christian, or is it evident in the way you live your life? Do you live an uncompromising black-and-white lifestyle, or are you constantly finding yourself in gray, substandard areas?

If we, as Christians, are supposed to affect the lost around us, how are we to do so if they can't even tell us apart from themselves?