Stand Out

By F. D. Adkins

You have heard my animal stories before. I have a lot of them since the house we are building is surrounded by woods and wildlife. And guess what. Today, I am going to share another one. We will just call him Leonard for the purpose of telling the story because it’s not like I would name all of the animals. Yes, I would, and yes, I do.

Anyway, not long ago, we poured our concrete porch. When we were finished, we laid cardboard across it making a path to the door so that we wouldn’t get track it up with muddy feet. But then Leonard moved in.  He set up residence under the cardboard. Therefore, we could no longer step on the cardboard for fear of crushing Leonard. As you can see in the above photo, Leonard comes out to soak up the rays on sunny days. You can also see that Leonard is probably meant to live in trees with green leaves where he would blend and have less chance of an encounter with an adversary. Be that as it may, Leonard chooses to live on a concrete porch where he stands out like a white turkey in the woods. Leonard has chosen to stand out instead of blending in.

As I read the following verses, Leonard’s example has encouraged me to ask myself if I make the choice daily to stand out as a Christian in this dark world, or do I blend so that I don’t risk any persecution?

• “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 KJV.

God’s word commands us to be a light for Him. And in this world that keeps growing darker, any kind of light is going to be highly visible, just like a bright green lizard on a concrete porch. In last week’s blog, I shared my worries about the darkness that surrounds our children, those things the world tells them are right when the Bible clearly says those things are wrong.

• “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2 KJV.

God’s Word instructs us not to conform to this world. Don’t blend like a green lizard on a green leaf to avoid confrontation or persecution. We are to be a light in the darkness letting others see the love of Jesus. But how?

• “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Philippians 2:14-16.

We follow God’s instructions for our lives and let it reflect in everything we do. We don’t just say we are followers of Jesus. We show that we are followers of Jesus.

Matthew 5:14 says that “a city on a hill cannot be hidden.” And of course, it takes a group of people to make up a city. I pray we can come together as the family of God and be that city on the hill, a city so brightly lit that our children can see their way to Jesus. Let’s be like Leonard and choose to stand out. After all, we can’t complain about the darkness, if we don’t make an effort to light it up.

Bible Verse For This Week:

A Few of My Animal Friends