Set Apart

Christians are called to be set apart, to be different. Yet too often I think Christians blend in far too well with society. We are in the world, which were called to be, but we were called to stand out. There is supposed to be something in the way we live that sets us apart, that makes us holy. Honestly, when I am hanging out with my friends I hardly feel holy. I feel like my standards are a little different, I feel like where my friends are making bad decisions I am with standing, I feel where I choose moderations many of my friends choose loosing self-control, but I really don't feel like there is always a noticeable difference in this aspect of my life. We were called to be a city on a hill, but often times it feels like we are not standing out but rather disconnecting. I think the radical message ofthe Jesus is that we are supposed to live different, move different, be active, but the way religion has moved us is to a place where to follow Christ is not to act rather than to act. We try not to do this, say that, wear those, watch that, or listen to that. And while I do feel we should stand out by what we choose to avoid, we must not use that as our way of living out the faith that we hold so firmly too.

We are followers of the light of the world. Light does not take away from the darkness, but overtakes it. Honestly, is the life of the Christians you know, or maybe your life, shining bright. Being set apart has nothing to do with trying to make others feel inferior, but rather quite the opposite. What if people near us found life. When people lived the way we live, if even for just a minute, they should find life and not feel as if they are loosing life. Jesus had the incredible ability to make people feel important. He rarely tried to impress people by what he refrains from, but rather chose to live in a way that the actions he made and the people he hung out with would bring their own questions? Do you ask more questions when people don't do something you do or when people do something that you just don't understand? I want to live a life that is constantly getting questioned. Why do you always talk to the loners? Why do you constantly buy food for homeless people? What is it like talking to people at their lowest points? Why did you drive all the way out here for me? You really do care, don't you? I want to be surrounded by these questions because for many people we really are the closest thing they will see to Jesus Christ in their life time. Silence is deadly. A spoken word poet that I listen to says that if we walk by the hurting without saying that Christ loves you, we might as well stop and tell them how much we don't care about their life and where the end up.

Being Set Apart, being Holy is not necessarily about pulling away from the filth, but overtaking it with love. In fact, it is in that love and hurt where God is most present. Are you living loud? Are you living light?

I do know many amazing followers of Jesus Christ who are shining bright and who are loving loud and living intentionally. I just feel like it is time that some of us choose to join them. Let's be Holy.