Nonconformists

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think (Romans 12:2).

Depending on how you were raised, being ‘counter-cultural’ could be an insult or a compliment. Being ‘counter-cultural’ means that you don’t ‘go with the flow’; instead, you ‘march to the beat of a different drummer.’ In the '60s, many Americans were shocked when their children opposed obeying the government’s directive to fight in Vietnam; they were horrified by anti-establishment music and wild fashions. Women burned their bras, while men grew their hair long. Everywhere, it seemed, people were behaving in ways that did not meet the standards of prevailing American culture. And those who were labeled as ‘counter-cultural’ were insulted, arrested, and persecuted by the larger society surrounding them.

There is tremendous pressure in American to conform. In high school, no one wants to be the outsider; peer pressure leads people to dress similarly, talk alike, and behave the same way as everybody else. There are neighborhoods where an association tells every homeowner how their yard must be kept and what colors they can choose from to paint their house. People who are out of step are not tolerated.

And yet, in this world of conformity, Jesus Christ calls you to be ‘counter-cultural.’ Christianity is by definition ‘counter-cultural.’ The Bible says that the whole world is under the control of the evil one; this is why Paul tells us not to copy the behavior and customs of this world. We live in a culture of death, where abortion is legal and viable fetuses are treated as stem-cell factories for medical research. We live in a culture of irresponsibility, where you can go to court and make someone else liable for your problems. We live in a culture of moral relativity, where behavior is defined as right or wrong based how it makes you feel. But Jesus teaches us to be ‘counter-cultural.’ He teaches us to treat every human life as a sacred creation of God. He teaches us to take responsibility for our actions so that He can then forgive us and provide us with a new start. He teaches us that in a world that prefers moral grayness, things are black and white, good or evil, and that life and happiness are only found in the purity of God’s truth. Christians are a minority in this world. We are not the prevailing culture—and so our lifestyle labels us as counter-cultural. This is why we are pressured from so many directions to stop being Christians and just conform. But Jesus challenges you to dare to be different.