“Stand Out Of The Crowd” is September 6th’s entry from Dr. David Jeremiah’s ‘Turning Points with God: 365 Daily Devotions’.
"[Joseph's] master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand." Genesis 39:3
In the food industry, separating the good from the bad is important. Workers watch as conveyor belts stream by, loaded with a harvest of fruit. Their trained eyes look for blemishes; their quick hands reach out and cull the unacceptable items. Because the vast majority of the fruit is good, when an imperfect sample appears, it stands out from the crowd.
“Standing out” works the opposite way as well, especially with regard to people. For instance, the Bible says Jesus of Nazareth was not noticeable for His outward appearance (Isaiah 53:2), yet He stood out in the crowd. Indeed, He stands out in the crowd of humanity as the most unusual person in history. Among His followers, those who are most like Him will stand out as well.
The more of God’s character that is revealed in us (the fruit of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5:22-23), the less like “the crowd” we will be. And people will notice. Has anyone ever told you there is something different about you? If they haven’t, and if you continue to be conformed to Christ, they will.
Make it your goal in life to be so like Christ that people will be attracted to Him through you.
To end, a quote from Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel every day; if necessary, use words.”
