SUMMER!
The season of sun, fun and holidays! I recently took a trip to the beautiful island of Gran Canaria, known for its lush beaches and warm temperatures. Myself and one of my best mates hopped on a plane in crazy excitement for our sweet getaway. And boy was it amazing!
We spent our days chilling on the island’s sandy beaches, learning about the country’s history, relaxing in an incredible spa and feeling like super-fly adrenaline junkies jet-skiing and parasailing on the high seas.
And let me not forget the food! It was ON POINT. If I’d eaten anymore, I would’ve had to be rolled back to the UK!
Although my holiday was fantastic, there were some things that left me feeling a little uncomfortable. My friend and I are two young, black women and we visibly stood out from the people around us.
For that reason, we got quite a bit of unwanted attention, primarily in the form of constant staring. At the beginning it did freak me out a bit, but after a while I learnt to ignore it and God even highlighted something key from the experience.
He reminded me that as Christians, we are all called to stand out from the crowd. 1 Peter 2:9 says this about the people of God:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
God’s desire is for us to live a life that is set apart as his chosen people; we were made to be different.
Jesus himself showed us what it meant to stand out. Here was a man completely without sin who went around healing sick people, raising folks from the dead and proclaiming that he was the way the truth and the life. Now we don’t see that every day, do we?!
The amazing thing is that Jesus knew he hadn’t been called to live a life like everybody else. He was placed on the earth to fulfil the most important assignment ever given to man; to save humanity!
Jesus’ differences meant that life was far from easy for him. He was hated by many which ultimately resulted in his horrific death on the cross. Like Jesus, perhaps your faith means that people treat you differently.
Others may not understand why you don’t involve yourself in certain activities, or maybe they use your beliefs as a reason to make fun of you. Just know that in living differently, you are bringing glory to God’s name. People may not get it, but you have a heavenly Father who certainly does.
