Being Different

1 Peter 2 7-12
7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, " 8and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Our daughter comes home the other day and is upset. Some girl in her class told her she didn't like her because she was different. Taylor was crushed. She is almost 10 and just wants to have friends and fit in. As the adult, looking back, I am struggling on how to teach her it's ok to be different. The above passage struck in my mind, that we are called to be different. I've spent most of my life just trying to do the same thing....fit in. With my family, with friends, with people who don't even really matter in life but yet, there are days where I wonder why, just like Taylor. I believe this is where faith plays a huge role in life. When we give our lives to Jesus, there is not a promise of this easy blessed life that will follow. We are expected to stand out, to be different, in action, thought, and word. I am proud of Taylor, for whatever reason, she is different, and her friends can see it. She is letting her light shine and I can't ask for more than that.