If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
~John 15:19
You may not follow the news, but with legacy media there are waves of party-line mantras. It’s like the talking heads of the standard channels are given the same script from which to read. And it all becomes way too reminiscent of George Orwell’s “1984” to believe. Most recently, if you’ve been paying attention—which in many ways, I kinda hope you’re not—you’ve been bombarded with a word in the mainstream media that you probably haven’t heard used this much since you were in the 8th grade: weird. It’s more of the same name-calling-fest that one side loves to use against the other…but this one is just plain, well, weird.
Anyway, it got me thinking about the spiritual parallels—especially as I’m in the midst of studying 1 Peter. In the first few chapters, Peter reminds us who we are in Christ, thanks to the grace and mercy of our Lord and His payment on our behalf. He warns us of trials we’ll face in this world and gives us direction on godly attitudes toward the government, our spouse, employers, and our church family. Peter is also very clear on how believers are to walk through this dark world with our eyes set on Christ. In 1 Peter 2:11-12, he exhorts us to live as foreigners, as strangers, not giving in to all the fleshly lusts the world dangles in our face as “good”. And, friend, Peter makes it clear: Because we live differently, we will be slandered. For not living like the culture, we’ll be called “weirdos”.
This isn’t just for all those Christians who grew up in the church, were homeschooled, and never left the proverbial porch of the Father’s house. Peter notes that this name-calling and mocking will also be directed at us Christians who spent some time in the pigsty…those of us who spent sufficient time pursuing indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries. For me, every one of those boxes was checked. So, when I surrendered to Jesus as Savior and Lord, and my life was radically transformed, Peter’s warning about how my friends (and even some family) would react to me: they were surprised (and even uneasy) that I no longer wanted to join them in the same excesses, and they slandered me (1 Peter 4:4). I became the weirdo.
Throughout the New Testament, from the words of Jesus to the letters from Paul, John, and James, believers are reminded that we are not of this world (John 15:19). Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and we are to represent our King and country (2 Corinthians 5:20)…and we’re to be ambassadors when we’re being persecuted or even in chains (Ephesians 6:19-20). This world, which is temporarily under the general management of our enemy, Satan, has nothing to offer but the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—none of which is of God (1 John 2:15-17). In fact, James gets right to the point (gotta love James’s style): You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4). Yikes.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are not an enemy of God—you are His beloved child and a fellow heir with Christ (John 1:12; Romans 8:17). Instead of being a friend to this world, you are called His friend (John 15:15). When we are crucified with Christ, we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation—called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). We are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), and Christ lives in us (Galatians 2:20)!
The world is ever-increasingly belligerent and intolerant of Jesus and His followers (Did you catch the opening of the 2024 Olympics?). The divide is wider than I’ve seen in my lifetime. But we know who we are in Christ. We have a confident hope in our future. We are called to be set apart from this dark world. So, what do you say? Let’s be weirdos.
Lord, thank You for rescuing me from the darkness of this world, for defeating the enemy so I can live from a place of victory. Empower me to live as a stranger in this world—a weirdo—as I walk toward my heavenly home.
encouraged by grace 