I Am Different

I heard the offensive music playing. I heard the crowd squeal with delight at their entertainment. I looked down at my blue and white sailor outfit and the American flag in my hand. I was next. I would take the stage in just a few brief minutes. "Mom, I can't do this," I pleaded. But there was no backing out. The blaring music on stage ended, and my name was announced. With all that was in me, I wanted to run right out of the room. I took my place, and "You're A Grand Old Flag" bellowed from the speakers. I started my routine. I heard the giggles and saw the smirks and elbow nudges. When my performance was over, I took my seat. I was embarrassed. I was different.

The talent show experience was absolutely devastating to me. My routine was clean. It was pure. It wasn't tainted by the world. The other competitors, audience, and judges did not share my convictions. Yes, it was a day that crushed my little, eight-year old heart. But God had begun to teach me to be set apart. To be different.

Fast forward 15 years.

I stood on the stage at Bowling Green State University. I had been cast in another opera. I was respected by faculty and my peers. My "career" was going places. The director of the opera barked his orders from below the stage. Did I just hear him correctly? I was horrified. What? Was I really being told to stage a sex scene in the middle of the stage? I did the minimal that was required of me and felt horrible. After rehearsal, I mustered the courage to approach the director. "I cannot do that on stage." "Why not?" he scoffed. "I am a Christian."

Fast forward 2 years.

I was singing for a professional opera company. I had my master's degree. I had talent. A world renown singer approached me. He was interested in me, primarily for his own sexual pleasure. He wouldn't stop his advances after I repeatedly refused. I found myself backstage unable to escape his unwanted embrace. At that moment, some people thankfully approached, and he let me go. What had I got myself into? I left the theater shaken, never to return to opera again. I was different.

Leaving the career in which I had worked so hard to achieve proved to be absolutely devastating but absolutely necessary. It was a turning point in my life. I made the choice to accept my highest calling in life to use my talents and abilities for Jesus.

I am different.

I learned many years ago that I would have to stand firm in my Christian convictions in a godless world. But God has been teaching me over the past ten years that as the organizational church is in a constant state of decline, I would have to stand for righteousness even amongst believers. And this, my friends, has been my hardest battles yet because the cost is so high. Loss of friends, misrepresentation of your words and motives, blackballing within the Christian community are amongst some of the prices paid.

I talked to a friend this week, and she told me that her church belonged to a certain denomination which decided to affirm homosexual marriages. The pastor informed his congregation of the inner workings of the denomination, and he told them that he was going to attend the next meeting to speak out against the unbiblical practice. True to his word, the pastor was the only man standing and speaking against the sin of homosexuality. The group of denominational leaders kicked him out of the meeting. The church then voted to withdraw from the denomination in which they were affiliated. The price was high, but this pastor stood firm.

I'll never forget the devastating blow on the mission field about five years ago. The pastor of the church in which we were working instructed us not to share the Gospel with the students in their upscale community center. We had traveled thousands of miles to share the Gospel, so you can imagine our devastation. After confronting the pastor and not getting anywhere, we contacted our missions board. Unfortunately, the native pastor had a long term relationship with our missions agency. While the missions organization realized there were major concerns, they did not want to sacrifice their long term relationship. So they chose to send us home from the field instead. It was an extremely hard life event in which to recover, but God has used that situation to embolden us to preach the Gospel and stand for truth and righteousness regardless of the consequence.

Church, we are different. We are told in 1 Peter 2:9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Our job is not to affirm or validate other heathen religious groups in order to gain their approval. We are to preach the Gospel unashamedly even in places where government does not permit us to do so. We are not to cave in fear due to a worldwide pandemic. We are not to look to the world for ways to evangelize. We are not to soften our message to make it politically correct. We are not to accept sin so people feel loved and comfortable. We are different. We are called to be the light, not to blend into the darkness.

James and I had a choice this week to expose darkness disguised as an act of acceptance. We made the choice to speak truth. It wasn't the popular choice, and it came at a high price for our family. But, we would be remiss to make a decision based on convenience and ease. I grieved as our words of truth brought no immediate action, little concern, and no evidenced change. I shed tears and mourned loss as the result of confrontation brought loss to my family. However, I rejoice that when presented with a choice to expose darkness God gave us the ability to stand. And so, we stand because we are set apart. We are different.

"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Matthew 10:38-39

What cross are you being asked to bare? Is it time that you confront sin within your Christian circles? Is it time to set an example when those around you are content to be mediocre? Is it time to put aside your fear and tell your neighbor about Jesus? Is it time that you admit your sin of arrogance and apologize? Is it time to stop passing the blame and repent of your own sin of complacency? Is it time to speak up at your next church meeting and confront liberalism that is seeping into the ministries of your church? Is it time to cut off a relationship that is not good for you spiritually? Is it time to quit your job because God is calling you to a greater mission? Is it time to start sacrificing financially for the sake of the Kingdom?

Sure. You may look like a fool. You may lose friends. You may lose material possessions. You may be demoted. You may lose position or prestige. But in the end, you have the glorious knowledge that you took a stand for righteousness. You became the light and ceased blending into the darkness. You were different. And God likes different.