As a teenager, I fondly remember attending yearly camp meetings with teens from across the nation. Aside from other attractions, I always looked forward to the theme of the camp meetings. One theme that left a lasting impact on me was ‘Dare to be different.’ It inspired me to stand out and never blend in. You should dare to be different, too.
Friend, dare to be different (Daniel 1:8). God has called you to stand out, not to blend in. Christianity is not about comforming to the world. It is being transformed by the word so you can stand out in the world (Romans 12:1-2). Most times, the Christian life will always go against the existing culture. Until your Christianity goes against the existing culture, you would not face any persecution.
Christianity itself is a culture; a different culture. This is why the Church is a nation inside a nation, and the Christian is an ambassador of the kingdom of God to the nation of men (2 Corinthians 5:20, 1 Peter 2:9). We have a different language and culture. As a Christian, you are not supposed to blend into the existing culture. Rather, you are supposed to superimpose the kingdom culture on the culture of the society.
Don’t let the world convert you. Rather, convert the world. This is why if you are not taking your evangelism seriously, there is every likelihood that you have already been converted by the world (Philippians 2:15). The church must wake up to her identity and responsibility. This narrative that the world is becoming churchy and the church is becoming worldly must stop.
The strategy in Babylon against Daniel and his friends is the same strategy the devil uses against Christians today. Their names, language, and diets were changed (Daniel 1:4-7). If you don’t want to blend in, protect your name or identity. Don’t let anyone call you what you are not. Watch your language. Don’t speak like the people of the world (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). Take care of your feed. You cannot continue to absorb every piece of information flying out there.
If you don’t dare to be different, you cannot stand out in the world (Psalms 1:1-3). Those who stand out are those who choose to be different. It must have taken a lot of conviction and courage for Daniel and his friends to reject the sumptuous meals being served. They chose to eat vegetables instead. That was the price they paid to stand out in their day (Daniel 1:20, 6:3). What about you?
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria