Dare to Be Different

"Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." John 15:20

My dad was a pastor, so I got stuck with the label known to every pastor’s kid: P.K. But, much to the congregation’s disappointment, the title didn’t stop me from being my mischievous little self. I’d like to have a $5 bill for every time somebody came to me and said, “Little Joe, you’re the pastor’s son. You should be an example.” They wanted me to be different, but they didn’t understand. I didn’t want to be an example! I was only a kid and wanted to have fun with my friends.

Nobody wants to be different. We want people to like us, and the safest way to do that is to blend in, to be like them. But following Christ has never been about blending in. Following Him means to be like Him, to respond to life and relate to people the way He would. Inevitably, there are times that doing that makes you different. Granted, it can be risky and uncomfortable to be different. But that’s what being a follower of Jesus is all about—bringing the difference of your King to bear on the territory you’ve been assigned to: your home, your office, your friendships.    

We need to keep in mind that Jesus never promised that following Him would be a cakewalk. In fact He made it clear that following Him would often create tension in a world that is going in the opposite direction. Just before His death, He spoke candidly to His disciples: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. . . . If they persecuted me, they will persecute you . . .” (John 15:18, 20). 

I'll never forget the story of Abdul Rahman, the Afghani who accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and faced the outrage of Muslim clerics in the courtrooms of Afghanistan. Although his conversion was considered a capital crime and his life was at risk, his faith stood the test. Right now while we are talking about this, thousands of believers in places like China, the Sudan, and Vietnam, are making the point that Jesus is more important than personal peace and comfort.

But for those of us who don’t live in life-threatening environments, being a fully committed follower brings its own kinds of trouble. It may be the threat of being cut out of the group and losing a promotion when the boss takes you and your colleagues out to dinner and then takes everyone but you to the strip club for an after dinner drink. Or when your evolution-promoting biology professor scoffs at your stance on creation and gives you a lower grade on your paper. Forgiving a serious offense may have other fellow travelers thinking that you are the “village idiot.” Refusing to enter a gossipy conversation and declining opportunities to speak in unloving ways about others may even cost you something with fellow believers . . . Sad but true!

Today, you will no doubt have opportunities to be different—to go against the flow. Don’t be intimidated. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  What an interesting thought . . . Bailing on Jesus makes me a loser, but when I stick with Him through thick and thin, I ultimately win!  

In retrospect, I can now see how my antics as a P.K. reflected poorly on my Dad. It’s motivating to remember that our non-Jesus attitudes and actions not only leave us on the losing side but also end up reflecting poorly on Jesus.

Go ahead. Make a difference by daring to be different!