One of the biggest mistakes the children of Israel made, throughout their history, was their unwillingness to be different. After they settled in the Land, their cry was, “Now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have. We want to be like the other nations!” (see 1 Samuel 8:5)


God had told them to honor Him as their Lord and not to be like the Egyptians or Canaanites. But, like us, that seemed to be a hard word for them to follow. Our unfortunate tendency is to conform to the culture around us.


Paul challenges us to “‘Come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘… I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters'” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).


Often from a very young age on, we do not want
to “come out and be separate” for Jesus. But note what is promised along with that command: an intimate relationship with God. We need to take advantage of it by being willing to be different. Recall the line from an old song: “Take the world, but give me Jesus.”