Ummmmmm……..One of These Doesn’t Belong

Some of you know this already, but for those of you who don’t: I come from a family of practical jokesters. I’m not exactly sure where it started. I do know that my Grandpa Gordon was well-known in his circle for shenanigans and my brother made a pretty good name for himself, too. As all of the grandkids (my kids and my nieces and nephews) are now getting older and becoming adults, it’s brought a lot of joy to watch them become their own person, and shenanigans are apparently high on the list.

When we all got together at Mom’s for Christmas, some of them had been planning for weeks. As each family arrived, they counted on Mom being distracted with “all the things”. In a stealth-like fashion, they each took their assignment. There were two main agendas: place “little Jesus” everywhere all over the house and use stock photos from the internet to replace pictures in frames. A few were mildly concerned that Mom might begin to think she was developing dementia. But that idea didn’t do anything to slow the process. Shifty eyes and lots of quiet giggles continued throughout the morning, afternoon, and into the evening. The waiting had begun. How long would it take for her to notice the first one? And then how long before she figures out they’re everywhere?

More than a few times lately, the topic of identity has come up; specifically identity for those who follow Jesus. The world seems to be more contentious by the day. It’s nearly impossible to be on any type of social media without having to navigate opinions or outright trash talk. One would hope that it would be easy to differentiate between those who follow Jesus and those who don’t. And yet, I find myself uncertain.

Shouldn’t it be as obvious as the picture above? The eyes? Very different. The hair? Not even close. The smile? Some look a bit sketchy. That’s what it feels like.

If I want people to believe I’m a follower of Jesus, my walk and my talk need to match. Not only do they need to match, but they also need to align with the Bible. I can’t quote scripture about love and Jesus and then speak words that are meant to harm or make someone feel stupid. I don’t understand it. But it’s everywhere.

The Bible is pretty clear about this. We are NOT to look like the rest of the world. Romans 12, I Peter 1,  Psalm 1, and 2 Corinthians 4 are just a few chapters that speak to the difference in our appearance, actions, and attitudes. Unfortunately, we’re more likely to blend in.

Mom finally found all of the pictures. Several weeks of lots of laughter in a group text thread were the reward. She’s still finding the “little Jesus”; probably will be for quite a while.

Being set apart or not looking like the world can often feel like a lonely place. But the more I trust Him, lean in and listen, and obey, the more I find out it’s the only place I want to be.

I Corinthians 1:18 ~ For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.