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 12:2
Whenever my mom dropped me off at elementary and middle school, I was guaranteed I’d hear,
“Be set apart today…”
Being the BIGGEST morning person ever, I would lovingly grab all my junk, stare at the ground, mumble “ok”, and slam the car door behind me. Peace out, Laura. (All I can say is, since starting high school, coffee has truly transformed my outlook on mornings).
If you haven’t noticed, I’m not Laura Sandretti. Sorry to disappoint, but hopefully you’re excited to hear from me, Faithe Sandretti. I’m a junior in high school and if you’re friends with my mom on Facebook, you should be able to find a picture of me quite easily (I’m the short one…). I’ve been given the privilege of writing today’s blogpost. My goal in this step of faith is to influence teenagers, like myself, who are trying to live out their faith through the chaos we call high school.
Back to my story. The nerve of my mom. Did Laura not realize I was but a sleepy child just trying to live that middle schooler life?
She did realize that. She realized, although I may not have understood those words then, I would need them now. You see, being “set apart” means being different from the crowd and different from the rest of the world because your identity lies somewhere else. I’m sure by now we all know this is how we’re supposed to live,
But how do we do this?
Well, I’d say the best thing to do is start small. Being “set apart” can be as simple as keeping your mouth shut while others gossip or being patient with that one checkout guy who moves as slow as a sloth. Living set apart is taking small steps of faith for the good of those around us. It isn’t always something we can dive right into, but gradually we can dive deeper and ultimately grow.
Living contrary to what culture says is acceptable isn’t fun, but somehow it seems to empower us. For me, living different started as simply smiling at people I didn’t know or didn’t like. Through prayer, God has helped me gain love for those I struggle with. Somehow, loving people who aren’t kind to me continues to fill me. I can’t explain how, but I know it to be true. If God can use me, someone fairly messed up and deeply sarcastic, to further his kingdom here on earth, He can use anyone.
Take a moment to stop and pray. Ask God to show you someone who needs a light today and when the opportunity comes, meet God there. If we want to live set apart, we just have to be willing.
Take that first small step.