Following The Crowd

At the very heart of Romans 12:1-8, is this verse (v. 2): “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.”

Paul is reminding the believers in Rome, and all of us today, that we are to de-prioritize all that this world calls important – influence, possessions, titles, bank accounts – and become living “thank you” cards to Jesus.

Have you ever noticed that most introductions and conversations come around to, “Where do you live?” and “What do you do (for a living)?”
That’s a dangerous indictment of who and what we have become.
Why can’t our first questions be, “Where do you attend church?” and “Are you a believer?”

Do you see the difference in focus? Paul is warning us that it’s easy to slip into the former, where we are consumed with behavior and customs of the world, allowing them to identify us and become our identity to others.

Paul is saying, “Don’t be like that. Be different. Separate behavior and customs of the world with behavior and customs of faith . . . and choose faith as your priority!” And, in doing that, fall into the arms of God; let God transform you into the person He needs you to be according to His will for you. Don’t worry about what you need or don’t need to do; need or don’t need to change – let God transform you; giving you “fresh eyes” and a “fresh mind” to discern His will for you. It will be life-changing.  Paul writes that it will be “good and pleasing and perfect.”

But, the first step in this transformation is recognizing the behavior and customs of the world. We are often sucked into those through peer pressure. We want to please family and friends and co-workers and neighbors, and so we slip into a blind following of the herd. And, we slip into copying the behavior and customs of the world. And, our children see it and they follow that example. And, grandchildren will see it, and they will follow that example.

My life brushed against lots of pain this past week. Spouses in pain, parents in pain, and children in pain. In some cases, the pain is so old and so deep that it’s been “covered up” and “privatized.” I was reminded just how bound we are to the world and this whole notion of peer and world pressure. Everywhere I turned, I was reminded how easily we “cave in” to the world or “hide from truth” when it confronts us. God wants better for us. He wants us to shake those chains, and allow His transforming power into the believer He needs us to be.

Can I encourage you toward a peaceful week?
1. Lead your family – even if your children are grown – in a personal disconnect from what the world calls important, replacing worldly pursuits with loving and serving our Lord and others, in the name of the Lord. Be an example to the generations behind you.
2. Mark each day with Bible study and prayer.
3. Be diligent in turning to believers for counsel – give believers permission to tell you what you need to hear, and not what you want to here. You need to see our class as a great support group, ready to rush in for encouragement and accountability.
4. Discern, from the Holy Spirit, your spiritual giftedness. How have your been gifted, and what is God’s will for you in using those gifts to grow the Kingdom? Are you involved in Kingdom growth? How can you use your gifts of encouragement or hospitality – for example – to minister to fellow believers?