Dare To Be Different (CHANGE!)

Hey church, my name is Godwin, and I'm a missionary in Ghana whom you all support. I work for Meaningful Life International.

I am from a humble background. Growing up, my late mother engaged in different trades to put food on the table. She was the proverbial "jack of all trades." She cooked and sold different meals, including porridge, corn on the cob, and many more.

What she was best known for, though, was dressmaking. She had a unique pattern for all her dresses. It did not matter what fabric she was given; she would always produce a dress according to that same pattern.

However, as one would expect, the fashion industry evolved over time. My mother's customers became quite sophisticated with the influx of Western culture, and they were no longer satisfied with her pattern. For my mother to "beat the competition" and remain relevant to her customers, she needed to change her pattern. She needed a pattern that would help her sew dresses that were abreast with the fashion tastes of the time.

My mother was aware of the fact that maintaining the same old pattern would never give her a different outcome. Therefore, she did what any entrepreneur would do – she dared to be different.

Like my mother (of blessed memory), many Christians have certain "patterns" of lifestyle, character, attitude, and opinions that do not conform with our faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Even though we profess to be saved believers, we still live according to the pattern of the world. We curse, dress, and live like we are a part of the world. We even undermine each other, and many times, do not understand that our old nature and pattern are a stark contrast to how our lives in Christ should be.

The Apostle Paul, being very troubled by the compromises of the church in Rome, admonished them with the following words:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

- Romans 12:1-2

We must dare to be different to make an impact and see our world become a better place.

We need to boldly, and unequivocally, take a stand for our Lord Jesus in every area of our lives. t will not be the most acceptable or popular decision to make, but the result will always be the positive change the world needs.

We cannot change the world if we do not take the risk of going against the status quo.

Jesus dared to be different when he took the Gospel from the synagogue to ordinary people. He loved all sinners, not their sins.

Daniel dared to be different when he decided to pray, even though it was against the law. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego dared to defy the king's ungodly rules, and bowed only to Yahweh. Esther dared to be different when she chose to go before the king to plead for the salvation of her people, even though it was against the laws of the Medes and Persians. Gideon dared to be different when he broke down the altars of Baal, removed the Asherah poles, and built an altar for the Lord.

All these proponents of faith were instrumental in changing the world, because they dared to be different, even at the peril of their lives.

Change is possible if only we decide to replace the old pattern of the world and dare to be different.

Pastor Godwin Alijah | Meaningful Life | Ghana, South Africa

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