Are We Really Different?

Peter was an apostle of Jesus, a gospel preacher, and elder, and of course a Christian, but even he struggled with being different from the world around him.  You will recall that he was bold in stepping out of the boat when Jesus called him to come, but he could not walk on water.  He was bold in defending Jesus in the garden and cut off the ear of the high priests servant.  He was afraid when Jesus was taken away and denied he knew him.  He was prejudiced when he refused to associate with some Gentile Christians.  Peter knew the struggles associated with being different.

As an inspired writer of New Testament Scripture Peter wrote in I Peter 2:9-10, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.'  Notice the descriptions Peter gives of a Christian: a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.  That all adds up to being different.  No, not different in some odd or peculiar way, but being different from the world in attitude and action. 

Because he knew the struggles of being different, Peter was reminding all Christians who we are to God.  When we know that we are special to God it will cause us to pay closer attention to our attitudes and actions.  It will cause us to be different because Christ was different.  We will be different in how we dress, our choice of friends, how we entertain ourselves, and how faithful we are to the work and assemblies of the church.  We will be different in the way we respond to those who hurt us and disappointment us, like Jesus did.

The Christian who is truly different will live in a way that will faithfully proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.