A few months ago, I was at the international farmer’s market making a purchase (palm oil, if you must know) for my Liberian dish. As I stood in the checkout line, a lady noticed the bottle of oil in my hands. She proceeded to tell me in a Nigerian accent that this was the wrong place to purchase this product and I was better off going to the African food store a few blocks away. As she was giving me this unsolicited advice, she asked me where I was from. “You from Nigeria?” she bellowed quickly. “No, Liberia” I said. And just like that, her accent changed and now she was using her Liberian accent to really dish out the truth about what I was getting ready to buy. In the car, I shared the story with my husband and we had a good laugh about her switching between accents.
What I found interesting about this encounter is how quickly this woman was able to switch identities / accents. Although switching accents may not be the actual issue for you, we are often enticed with the possibility of compromising our convictions, our holiness, our purity for the sake of popularity or not standing out. We are tempted to switch our God-identity with the world’s identity.
I may share with a friend something that God has placed on my heart and then when I am faced with a real life situation to live out the conviction, I may run in the other direction. Often times, there are some things that I know that God has spoken to me about however, to some of my friends/co-workers, these things are no big deal, and so I may minimize what I know God is speaking to me because I know that others will not consider it noteworthy. With certain groups or certain individuals, I may ignore my values or push my convictions to the side because those values may not be meaningful to that specific group.
The Bible is clear on where we are to stand in the face of challenges to our faith. Instead of shrinking back and blending in with the crowd, we are encouraged to blaze trails and go where others are afraid to go. In our obedience and boldness, others will be inspired and moved to take their own steps of faith. We are to be people of faith that are willing to have a stand alone faith if need be.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Mat 5:14
Lord, help me to stand boldly in situations when following You may not be the popular thing to do. Help me to let my light shine no matter where I am and no matter who I am with. Help me to embrace my God-identity. Let me be so focused on You, that the other voices that don’t represent what You desire are quieted and powerless in my life.
