Are You a Standout Christian?

I snapped this picture a few days ago because I loved how beautifully the lily stood out from the other flowers. When I showed this picture to Larry, he said “there surely has to be a blog to be written about that picture” and he was right.
The first thing I thought of was how we, as Christians, should be set apart from those who do not believe. Just as the lily stood out because it was of another “family” of flowers so we should stand out because we are of the family of God.

There has been many attempts at standing out that maybe wasn’t what God had in mind. I remember as a young Christian, I was taken back by some of these things. Like what you wore for instance. At that time in my life I had teased hair that was a foot tall, short dresses and “the forbidden” face makeup unlike others who wore a bun, long dresses and NO makeup. I truely admired these women for their dedication and wanting to do what the Lord wanted me to do, I asked Him many times if I should change. My heart was pure in asking but I never felt led to be someone other than who I was.

Sometimes people try to stand out by having great knowledge of the Bible which is certainly good but is not all that is required to stand out in a crowd.

Some took pride in their works and their giving, as before, all good but not what God asked us to put on to stand out in a crowd.

I found in my studies that the Bible talked about clothing but not the kind that needs to be washed, ironed or dry cleaned.

Isaiah 11:5 says that righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
(Oh, how the world would notice someone who was righteous and faithful)

For us we are told in Psalm 30:11 that he changes our sorrow into dancing. He takes away our clothes of sadness and clothed me in happiness.
( I think we stand out when the Lord turns our sadness into happiness as we go through trials of all sorts)

Job 29:14 says I put on right living as if it were clothing; I wore fairness like a robe and a turban.
(In a day when nothing seems fair and many live lives that are not right, I bet we stand out in a crowd)

Peter urged us to be clothed in humility (1 Peter 5:5) Being humble seems to be outdated in this age.

Galatians 3:27 says we who are baptized into Christ, clothes themselves with Christ.

The only reference to the clothes of Jesus, was when he was dying on the cross and the soldiers divided up his clothing but when it come to his robe they decided not to tear it and divide it because a seamless garment was very costly. Very much like his robe, his love is seamless and perfect.

Most of us are made up of patches and pieces, we are clothed with sin, failure, and hopelessness but we need to put on Christ and his perfect love. Then we, like my lily can truly stand out in a crowd.

Let us turn heads with our humility. People will gawk at our happiness, our fairness our right living and they will marvel that we are clothed in Christ.

My hair is no longer teased, my clothing is much like anyone my age and I still wear a little make up to hide my wrinkles. The desire of my heart is that when the world looks at me, they look past my outward appearance and see my heart. I pray I stand out because I am clothed with Christ.