Be Different to make a Difference

Sanctification is the process whereby a Christian changes in character, mindset, action, direction and attitude, as he aligns himself with the truth of God's word, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, with a view to becoming more like Christ.

I cannot think of anything more important manifesting in the life of a Christian than true Christlikeness because if that happens everything else falls into place. It is not only God's will that we come to know Christ but it is also His will that we become more like Him.

For this to happen we must be willing to give up who we are in order to become more like him.

That is no small task given the fact that we live in a world where we are constantly brainwashed into thinking that there is no-one more important on this planet than we are. And yet that kind of thinking is completely anithetical to the teaching of scripture as well as the nature and example of Christ. It is astounding that we can so easily call ourselves His followers, but so seldom follow His example. The word Christian literally means “little Christ”, which implies that our character and lifestyle is just like His.

Believers were first called Christians at Antioch in Turkey. The name was not meant to be a denomination or complement but was initially conferred on them as an insult. People did not know what else to call these men and women who so closely followed Jesus' teaching, emulated His example and resembled His character. They thought they were rid of Jesus when they nailed Him to the cross but instead of eradicating His life and teaching it was as if he reproduced and replicated himself exponentially through the lives of His followers. These early Christians so closely resembled Jesus that non-Christians could think of no other name for them but “little Christs” - Christians!

Is this really true of me? Is this really true of you? Are His goals my goals? Are His habits your habits? Are His priorities our priorities? The teaching of the New Testament as well as the very ethos of biblical Christianity calls every person who dares to wear the name of Christ to true, authentic Christlikeness.
Anything less than that would be both a contradiction and a hypocrisy.

But we have to understand that to be like Christ we must be willing to change because if the truth be told very few of us are actually like him at all to begin with.
The problem with Christianity today is that we, as Christians, and by default our faith as a whole, have lost our uniqueness. We are no longer unique because we no longer dare to be different. In fact we seem to grow more and more uncomfortable with being different to the world. We are bothered by the possibility of the world thinking ill of us. We don't want to seem troublesome and fanatical.
Take a good, honest look at the modern church and you will see a religious movement that is constantly trying, on every front, to adopt worldly methodology and philosophy with regard to church policy and ministry in an effort to make the “church”, christianity and christians more palatable to the world.
Why do we do that? Is it because we secretly fear rejection or worse still persecution?
Have we forgotten that our usefulness to God in this world really lies in our ability to be different to the world? When we try to water down our uniqueness we simultaneously water down our usefulness.
If we want to make an impact on the world today we have to preserve our uniqueness not give it away. We must treasure it, pursue it, guard it, and embrace it.

Do you really want to be useful to God in this world?

Do you want to make a spiritual impact on the lives of your family, friends, work colleagues and social circle?

If your answer is yes, then are you willing to change and be changed so that God can use you?
A desire to be used must be coupled with a willingness to be changed.
Are you willing to let go of who you are so that you can become more like Him?