Distinctive Disciples

All my life I have had curly hair.  The typical frizzy, hard to manage, dry curly hair and all I remember when growing up was how much I longed to be the rest of the girls who had straight hair.   I desperately wanted to have the same hair as everyone one else and not be different. Uniformity was what I had wanted and believed that that would mean acceptance.    It took 20 years for me to  be able to look at myself in the mirror and say, "I like my curly hair, and I like that it's different to everyone else's hair."  Having something about me that was distinct was something I was uncomfortable with for years and would hide my difference away,  but distinctiveness is a call for all Christians to accept.

Distinctiveness is a theme I see popping up throughout the bible.  Noah was described as a "righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God." (Genesis 6:9) when everyone around him were evil and filled with wickedness (Genesis 6:5).  God called Israel to be his own and a kingdom of priests and a holy nation , set apart from all the other nations on the earth (Exodus 19:5-6) and be his witness in the world.  Many of the Old Testament prophets were distinct and different not only to the other nations but also to the Israelites so as to remind them of God and his promises and to persuade them to cease their rebellion and return back to God.   Jesus also tells us that being his disciple means being different from the world around us.  In the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 6:17-26)  which introduces the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us descriptions of what Christian discipleship and identity looks like.  They are:

• Poor in spirit 
• Mourners of their own sin and also the sin in the world
• Meek
• Hungry and thirsty for righteousness
• Merciful
• Pure in heart
• Peacemakers
• Persecuted

Wow!  Jesus tells us that these are the qualities that all of his disciples will show as they are directed and transformed by the influence of God's kingly rule in their lives. This distinctiveness arises from being the opposite to what the world values and places as important.  It is in that difference where the power lies.  Just as salt is essentially different from the medium that it is put into, therein lies it's power and potential to change, so it is with the  Christian.  Being 'distinct' is not just for a few, it is for all of us who believe in Christ as our Lord and Saviour.  That  distinctiveness is cultivated in us as we obey God and focus our hearts and minds on him with a singlemindedness and complete commitment of our lives.  How Jesus wants us to live is the complete reversal of the world's cultural system and values.  

Hand in hand with these virtues are the blessings experienced in part now and will fully enjoy when Christ returns.

• The Kingdom of Heaven
• Comfort
• Inherit the earth
• Filled with righteousness
• Shown mercy
• See God
• Called sons of God

Again, WOW!  A pretty good list of blessings to receive.  

In our distinctiveness and our determination to be "salt'  and 'light' (Matthew 5:13-16) we will bear witness to the character of God and his saving grace through Jesus.  That truth changes hearts and rebuilds people from the inside out.  So be distinct as a Christian in all that you do, giving the praise and glory to God.  Someone may discover Jesus because you dared to be who Christ has called you to be - his. 

Question:  Have you lost your 'saltiness' or distinctiveness for God?

Photo from http://www.centreflow.ca/2009/07/20/molten-salt/