YOU WERE NOT MEANT TO BLEND IN

As I squeeze in a moment to type this morning, Colt and his buddy deep in bubbles and scooters, it occurs to me…and I want you to know…

As a child of God…

You are meant to be a light in the world.

If you are walking with God, pursuing Him as He is pursuing you, digging in His Word…you are going to stand out…not in a “famous” way…no, that’s not what I mean…but in a God-size way.

Early in my dancing career, my director told me I stood out too much on stage. He told me  I needed to work harder to blend in…to be like the rest of the dancers. Shellshocked by his correction…I worked hard to dance smaller…and tentatively I worked hard to make sure I didn’t draw too much attention to my dancing…because I was trying to do what he asked….blend in.

But then a funny thing started happening…every teacher, ballet master, and director then on started pushing me… “dance bigger” and one particular ballet master quietly whispered to me with a grin across his face…“You were not meant to blend in.” And in that moment… he unofficially gave me permission to stop blending in and to start dancing big.

Over the course of my dancing career though…my tendency has always been to try to blend in…do you notice that same tendency in your own life? We try to be like everyone else, do what everyone else is doing, we try to BLEND in…it almost feels easier to blend in, to go with the flow of everything around us…so that we don’t look too different. Often times in the studio or wherever I am…I have to give myself a mental fist bump and remind myself…“You were not meant to blend in.” 

As a follower of Jesus, as a pursuer of Christ…as His Word gets in you and you get your heart in His Word…your life is going to look different…your heart is going to look different…not standing out in a self-promoting way…but in a “drawing people to Jesus way”…and it’s a work that only the Spirit of God can do.

I think of people in my life who STAND OUT…not because they are famous, have huge successes, or even have it all together…but there is a presence about them…a sweetness, a kindness, a gentleness, a beauty…

it’s fruit…

it’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives…and they are not blending in…they are stand out…and they can’t seem to help it.

Oh how I want to be a fruit-bearer! But I am reminded…it doesn’t just happen all on its own…bearing fruit takes time, it takes seasons of growth, it takes pruning…it takes tending to…it takes spending time with God, trusting Him, praying to Him, obeying Him even when we would rather blend in, walking with Him…letting the Spirit work inside us.

And when we walk with Him, we will stand out…

And although God is so big, so in control of this whole big wide world that He created…

it occurs to me…

He uses US to be lights in the world…

for Him.

He uses us. He uses YOU. You are a light in the world. You were not meant to blend in.

Fist bump!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

“You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6

One last thought washes over me as I write to you…it always feels easier to blend in. Right? Blending in…could seem easier…because pursuing God takes intention. It takes time. It takes discipline to sit down with His Word…to pray…and it can feel hard sometimes….know that the Spirit helps you.  And know that that pressing in…is lighting you up…and I don’t just mean in your dance career or whatever it is that you are pursuing…I mean in your character…God wants to use your character and your heart to AFFECT THIS WORLD FOR HIM.

Press into Christ, shine on, be done with blending in…because the result of seeking  Christ is…you’re going to look different…His light will radiate from inside you to shine. You were not meant to blend in…you were meant to shine for Him!