In the Image of Christ

    Do you look like the world? It might sound like an odd question but think about it. Do you look like the world? 

    Bob Coolchristian walks up to Joe Badguy. "Hey man!" says Bob. 

    "Yo, s'up?" says Joe. 

    "Oh, y'know, just been out jammin' with m' dudes and then thought I'd head home and watch that new movie that Bill Partyman is in." 

    "Oh yeah! Real good stuff!" says Joe. Then he continues, "Hey, I like yur shoes man, real hot!" 

    "Thanks man." says Bob. Then he says, "Your hair is really somethin'. Mine never does what I want it to do, ya feel me?" 

    The conversation continued until Bob remembered that his church was having a special service this coming Sunday. Maybe Joe would come! 

    "Hey, Joe, ya wanna come t'my church on Sunday? We're havin' a special service!" Bob says enthusiastically.

    "Woah man! You go to church? I didn't know that!" Joe says in surprise. 

    "Yea, I'm a Christian." 

    "A Christian? Man, I'd never a guessed that one! Wad y' know?  Learn sumthin' new every day."

    

    How can we expect to reach the world for Christ, when we look exactly like the world, talk exactly like the world, dress exactly like the world, and act exactly like the world!? How can we expect to be anything but the world? The unsaved teens that look at you aren't going to think, "Oh wow. They really look different. They are different. I wonder what they have that I don't." They're going think that you're exactly like they are! And when you say to them, "I'm a Christian", they're going to think (and maybe even say), why would I want to be a Christian? He's exactly like I am. Why try being a Christian? It won't change me and then I'll have to follow all those rules besides." 

    Do you look like the world? Do you look like every unsaved teen you know? Do you look even similar to them? Maybe you don't feel like they do, but they can't see your feelings! Maybe you don't think like they do, but they can't read your mind! If you want them to listen when you say, "I know how you can be happy and know that you are going to Heaven when you die!" then you need to be different! You need to look different, act different, and talk different! 

    So, you're thinking, "Ok, how different? Try the Image of Christ. Alright, how did Jesus act when he was on earth? Well, people could tell He was different. When he was 12 years old the Rabbis "Were astonished" at Him (Luke 2:47).  The people of Nazareth were "all amazed" at Him (Luke 4:36). If Jesus acted like any other person, why would the disciples all dedicate their lives to following him? If he was ordinary, why would great crowds follow him? Now, we can't heal people and do other miracles, but nowadays, a teenager in the image of Christ might be considered a miracle. 

    How about it? Do you want to change the world for Christ? It won't be easy to be different, but when you are striving to be like Christ, you will always have someone who you are not different from. Bob Coolchristian can tell Joe that he's a Christian, but you can show Joe that you're a Christian. 

"Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works.

Shew me thy faith without thy works, 

and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

James 2:18