When we were young, Naomi and I really enjoyed the Amanda Bynes movie What a Girl wants. It is all about an American girl who goes to England to find her dad who is one of the old school, stereotypical English gentlemen, and she is completely different. She tries to change herself to fit into what she thinks he wants her to be. At one point her boyfriend says to her, “Why are you trying so hard to fit in, when you were born to stand out?” We loved that line! Naomi even used it in a Life Orientation class assignment and the teacher loved it too. As much as it sounds like such a cheesy, teen chick flick line – which it is – there is also a lot of truth to it.
Youth started this week and this term we are going through the book of Esther. As we started Esther chapter one, the discussion centred on the fact that many of the Jews had chosen to not return to the promised land, they stayed where they were, and they mostly fit in with the culture and the times. We discussed how this applies to us. We know that we have been called to stand out; to live differently from the world; to be an example to others. Yet, we so often find that we blend right in. People have no idea that we are Christians. Our characters are covered in camouflage instead of in lumo.
Often we tell ourselves that we blend in for our safety or so that we are not offensive or so that we can form deep relationships or one of a thousand other excuses. And that is what they are really – excuses. At the root of it is fear. Fear of rejection from man. Fear of persecution. Fear of being mocked. Fear of what others will say. All this fear stems from a lack of believing that God is worthy. Worthy of any suffering we face for Him; worthy of any sacrifice we make for Him – He is worthy of it all.
This week may we be brave enough to remove our camos and to let our lumo light shine.