Dare to be Different

“Christian life is more than many take it to be. It does not consist wholly in gentleness, patience, meekness, and kindliness. These graces are essential; but there is need also of courage, force, energy, and perseverance. The path that Christ marks out is a narrow, self-denying path. To enter that path and press on through difficulties and discouragements requires men who are more than weaklings.”MH, p. 497.

To be different is very difficult for many people, especially if that difference is noticed by others and perhaps made a sport of. It is more difficult with children and young people as they are looking to be accepted by their peers but when we grow into adults those feelings may still be present. It is not easy to be different, but it is only those who have the courage to be different whom God will use.

PETER

Let us take the case of the disciple Peter, he told Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.” Luke 22:33. Yes, he spoke these words with great boldness, but what do we see him doing a few short hours later? In Pilate’s judgment hall we see him denying this same Jesus with swearing and cursing. Peter had the courage to fight for Jesus, but he did not have the courage to hear censure, rebuke and mocking. This was too difficult for him to handle. “If he had been called to fight for his Master, he would have been a courageous soldier; but when the finger of scorn was pointed at him, he proved himself a coward. Many who do not shrink from active warfare for their Lord are driven by ridicule to deny their faith. By associating with those whom they should avoid, they place themselves in the way of temptation. They invite the enemy to tempt them, and are led to say and do that of which under other circumstances they would never have been guilty. The disciple of Christ who in our day disguises his faith through dread of suffering or reproach denies his Lord as really as did Peter in the judgment hall.” DA, p. 712.

Young people today feel a need to be accepted by their peers.-When I was a young child in school at about the age of 7,1 remember trying to make friends. My friends would ask me what I did on the weekend. I never had the courage to tell them I went to church for fear that they would no longer be friends with me, or worse yet, that they would ridicule me. Then I can remember other times them asking me if I watched a particular TV program the night before. Well I had no TV in my home so of course I did not, but I did not have the moral courage to tell my friends this. I simply agreed with them, “Yes that was a good show” and went on to try and change the subject. I was afraid to appear different -1 had no moral courage to stand for Jesus and for what is right.

THE ELIJAH MESSAGE

Jesus is looking for young people today who have the courage to be different. We are called to preach the Elijah Message for our time. In looking at the Elijah message, we read in Malachi 4:5,6. “Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” The Jewish believers expected Elijah to come personally to the earth in later times, however this prophecy is of someone who was to come in “the spirit and power” of Elijah. Luke 1:17. Someone would come who would preach a message similar to that of Elijah. Before the first coming of Christ, this work was done by John the Baptist and before the second coming of Christ a similar work will be done by those who preach the three angels’ messages to the world. We are told that Elijah must come.

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they have listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.” Mat. 17:11-13.

We today are to bring the Elijah message again just prior to Christ’s Second Coming. “The message preceding the public ministry of Christ was, Repent, publicans and sinners; repent, Pharisees and Sadducees; “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Our message is not to be one of peace and safety. As a people who believe in Christ’s soon appearing, we have a definite message to bear, – ‘Prepare to meet thy God.’

“Our message must be as direct as was that of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding the peril his life was in, he never allowed truth to languish on his lips. Our work in this age must be as faithfully done…

“In this time of well-nigh universal apostasy, God calls upon His messengers to proclaim His law in the spirit and power of Elias. As John the Baptist, in preparing a people for Christ’s first advent, called their attention to the Ten Commandments, so we are to give, with no uncertain sound, the message: ‘Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.’ With the earnestness that characterized Elijah the prophet and John the Baptist, we are to strive to prepare the way for Christ’s Second Advent (SW March 21, 1905).” SDA Bible Commentary, “Ellen G. White Comments”, Vol., 5 p. 1184.

If we are to bear the message in the “Spirit and Power of Elijah” perhaps it would be good to look at the lives of these two men, Elijah and John the Baptist, so we can learn what is expected of us today.

I find it interesting to note how the evil King Ahaziah recognized Elijah. King Ahaziah was sick. He had just fallen from a second floor balcony when a lattice gave out and therefore he sent messengers to Ekron to ask of Beelzebub as to whether he would recover. On their mission, the messengers met Elijah who had a message for the king. The messengers returned to King Ahaziah with Elijah’s message, without going to Ekron. The king asked his messengers who was the man they met? They could not tell his name, they could only describe him and they described him like this, “He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins.” The King immediately responded with, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 2 Kings 1:8. How did the King know who it was? From his appearance. Obviously Elijah must have been different in appearance than any ordinary citizen of the country.

How was John the Baptist described? “And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins;” Mat. 3:4. There was a dress code for prophets. Most of the rest of the men in the nation wore wool or linen clothing, but prophets wore a distinctive dress. (Zech. 13:4) We too must dress for the Lord -different from the world, so that people, just by looking at us, without us uttering one word, can see we are different – in a positive way. We have a Dress Reform message, not that we purposely dress differently. Worldly people follow worldly customs and fashions, some are very immoral and we are not to copy the world.
John’s diet is also mentioned in Mat. 3:4, “and his meat was locusts and wild honey.” Our diet must also be different – we eat and drink to the honour and glory of God, for optimum health and clearness of our minds, not for gluttony.

“John separated himself from friends and from the luxuries of life. The simplicity of his dress, a garment woven of camel’s hair, was a standing rebuke to the extravagance and display of the Jewish priests and of the people generally. His diet purely vegetable, of locusts and wild honey, was a rebuke to the indulgence of appetite and the gluttony that everywhere prevailed… Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by the faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent. The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance of dress and other things.” 3T, p. 62.

These men were very bold in bringing a message that was very different from anything the people had ever heard before – a call to repentance, “How long halt ye between two opinions, If the Lord be God follow Him, but if Baal, then follow him….” I Kings 18:21. And John’s message was “Repent and be baptized…” This was startling. Today we have a startling message also for the people – a call to repentance because Jesus is coming again and He is coming soon. We are to bring the people back to the Ten Commandments, especially the fourth. The time is coming when the test will come to every soul. Sunday worship will be forced by law. The contest will be between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. “Those who have yielded step by step to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will then yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. At that time the gold will be separated from the dross.” PK, p. 188. We must wake the people up out of their comfort zone and show them the danger they are in. The Lord needs men and women of courage today. He will only find a few since there will only be a remnant. In the time of Elijah and John the Baptist there was not very many preaching the message. In fact there was only one man preaching, yet the whole nation heard the message, through this one preacher, and was called to repentance.

DANIEL

There are many faithful men in the Bible who stood for the Lord at the peril of their lives. There was Daniel; although it was forbidden to pray to any one else except the king for 30 days, Daniel bravely continued his prayers as before. He could have gone into the innermost room of his house and locked himself away before praying. No, he continued, as had been his manner of praying in the past – with his window open facing Jerusalem – with his face lifted up to the heavens. He was placed in the den of lions but the Lord saved him. “From the story of Daniel’s deliverance we may learn that in seasons of trial and gloom God’s children should be just what they were when their prospects were bright with hope and their surroundings all that they could desire. Daniel in the lions’ den was the same Daniel who stood before the king as chief among the ministers of state and as a prophet of the Most High. A man whose heart is stayed upon God will be the same in the hour of his greatest trial as he is in prosperity, when the light and favor of God and of man beam upon him. Faith reaches to the unseen, and grasps eternal realities.” PK, 545. “Through the courage of this one man who chose to follow right rather than policy, Satan was to be defeated, and the name of God was to be exalted and honored.” PK, p.544.

THE DARK AGES

In the Dark Ages there was a fierce battle going on between truth and error. If you were found to have a Bible it would be your death sentence. Many chose the pathway of least resistance and followed the cruel Papal power in order to save their lives. However there were also some bright stars that shone in the midst of the spiritual darkness of those days. Martin Luther comes to mind. In reading the story of his life and work we see how many times his friends urged him not to go to certain places for surely he would not return alive. He went fearlessly, trusting in the Lord and he always returned. Even though the Papal leaders thirsted for his blood, his life ended by natural causes and not at the hand of his enemies.

We too will face difficult times in the future. Will you my friend be ready? Have you trimmed your lamps and filled them with the oil of the Holy Spirit so that when the Bridegroom comes you will not be found without any oil? We must ask for courage, strength and perseverance – it is said, “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” Mat. 10:22. This is no easy task. “We are to do all that we can do on our part to fight the good fight of faith. We are to wrestle, to labor, to strive, to agonize to enter the strait gate. . . . Help has been provided for us in Him who is mighty to save.” FW, p. 48.

The Lord has promised to be with us, but we have to be willing to be different – willing to bring a message that may cause our friends to ridicule us. And even if we are not called to preach, we are called to live a life that is different from those that are living in the ways of the world. We must be willing to have the courage to also look different by wearing a different type of dress, even if we are the only female in our school or workplace dressed in a skirt. We will stand out for Jesus in a calm and peaceful manner, showing we refuse to follow worldly customs. When the Lord calls us to bring His message, let us pray that we will have the boldness to preach it and not shy away.

One of my favourite songs in our Church Hymnal is Song 513, “Once to Every Man and Nation, Comes the moment to decide.” The second and fourth verses read like this:

Yes, the cause of evil may seem to prosper on this earth and it will gain strength in the near future, but only the brave and courageous will dare to stand on the side of God and He will watch over them.

One way to gain courage is to sing. In the time of King Jehoshaphat the kings of Ammon and Moab came against the nation of Judah. King Jehoshaphat was fearful at first but he took his fears to the Lord and the Lord promised them victory. To encourage his army, the following day, King Jehoshaphat sent out his singers before the army. “This was their battle song. They possessed the beauty of holiness. If more praising of God were engaged in now, hope and courage and faith would steadily increase. And would not this strengthen the hands of the valiant soldiers who today are standing in defense of truth?” PK 202.

Courage to go to a new area for the Lord – many fail here, they are used to their comfort zone. The things of this world are too dear to be sacrificed…. This is a very sad situation. When Paul heard the call of the Lord to go to Macedonia – he went. We see Jesus calling His disciples. He called Peter, James and John from their fishing boats. None of them questioned Jesus as to how their families will be provided for. Matthew was a wealthy man, a tax collector; he too left his employment in order to follow Jesus. None of these men saw their families perish from hunger. Jesus is also calling some individuals and families to step out by faith and go to new areas to bring the gospel message. They are not necessarily being called into full time missionary work, but there has been too much centralization in some countries with large churches in one area, while large areas of the country are left neglected. Where is the faith that God will provide another job in a new place if you are going to move for the Lord? Where is the faith that you will have a place to live – your children will have a good school? Do we get used to having the same familiar surroundings every Sabbath? We will miss our friends – we will be lonely on Sabbath if we move. Oh there are so many excuses but not one will stand up in the judgment day when you come before the Lord. What have you done for Jesus?

“From all countries the Macedonian cry is sounding: “Come over,… help us.” God has opened fields before us, and if human agencies would but co-operate with divine agencies, many, many souls would be won to the truth. But the Lord’s professing people have been sleeping over their allotted work and in many places it remains comparatively untouched. God has sent message after message to arouse our people to do something, and to do it now. But to the call, “Whom shall I send?” there have been few to respond, “Here am I; send me.” Isaiah 6:8″ 9T, p. 46.

We never were promised a life of ease and comfort if we decide to follow the Lord, “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20. If we think we will end up in heaven by following any other pathway than the pathway Jesus walked then we are sadly mistaken. Martin Luther said, “He who desires to proclaim the word of Christ to the world, must expect death at every moment.” GC, p. 135.

COURAGE DURING SUFFERING

“Our Master was a man of sorrows; He was acquainted with grief; and those who suffer with Him will reign with Him. When the Lord appeared to Saul in his conversion, He did not purpose to show him how much good he should enjoy, but what great things he should suffer for His name. Suffering has been the portion of the people of God from the days of the martyr Abel. The patriarchs suffered for being true to God and obedient to His commandments. The great Head of the church suffered for our sake; His first apostles and the primitive church suffered; the millions of martyrs suffered, and the Reformers suffered. And why should we, who have the blessed hope of immortality, to be consummated at the soon appearing of Christ, shrink from a life of suffering? Were it possible to reach the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God without suffering, we would not enjoy so rich a reward for which we had not suffered. We would shrink back from the glory; shame would seize us in the presence of those who had fought the good fight, had run the race with patience, and had laid hold on eternal life. But none will be there who have not, like Moses, chosen to suffer affliction with the people of God. The prophet John saw the multitude of the redeemed, and inquired who they were. The prompt answer came: “These are they whish came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'” IT, p. 78.

This doesn’t mean we can never smile. Although Jesus was “a man of sorrows” He was the happiest Man whoever lived on earth. He found joy in the simple things of life. His great joy was in seeing sinners reclaimed from a life of sin. He was happy when He saw a lame man walk, or a blind man see. He found joy in helping others. This is true joy.

It is suffering that increases strength. It is easy to be happy when life is going well, but when life becomes difficult many, like Ancient Israel, begin to murmur and blame God for their difficulties. In order to strengthen your muscles you must exercise them and sometimes this causes pain, but it is beneficial pain – so also in our Christian life. The pain and suffering is all beneficial pain, for the strengthening of our faith. The truly happy person will not allow circumstances to decide his moods and feelings. If he/she finds peace in Christ, it doesn’t matter what Satan throws their way; they will be at peace. This is the courage Jesus is looking for today in His people. Soon life will be very difficult for every true follower of Christ, and unless we start building our spiritual muscles today we will be without strength when we really need it.

“Heaven is very near those who suffer for righteousness’ sake. Christ identifies His interests with the interests of His faithful people; He suffers in the person of His saints, and whoever touches His chosen ones touches Him. The power that is near to deliver from physical harm or distress is also near to save from the greater evil, making it possible for the servant of God to maintain his integrity under all circumstances, and to triumph through divine grace.” PK 545.

“God cannot use men who, in time of peril, when the strength, courage, and influence of all are needed, are afraid to take a firm stand for the right. He calls for men who will do faithful battle against wrong, warring against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. It is to such as these that He will speak the words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, … enter thou into the joy of the Lord.’ Matthew 25:23.” PK. p. 142.

“God calls for men like Elijah, Nathan, and John the Baptist – men who will bear His message with faithfulness, regardless of consequences; men who will speak the truth bravely, though it call for the sacrifice of all they have.” GW, p. 150. This is not true only for the ministers, Bible workers and canvassers – it is true for every lay member in the church. Each has his own responsibility in his sphere of influence to bear the message for the Lord.

When Sister White was fearful of bearing the message of the Lord she received a frightening vision. “Presently an angel bade me rise, and the sight that met my eyes can hardly be described. Before me was a company whose hair and garments were torn, and whose countenances were the very picture of despair and horror. They came close to me, and rubbed their garments upon mine. As I looked at my garments, I saw that they were stained with blood. Again I fell like one dead at the feet of my accompanying angel. I could not plead one excuse, and longed to be away from that holy place. The angel raised me to my feet, and said: ‘This is not your case now, but this scene has passed before you to let you know what your situation must be if you neglect to declare to others what the Lord has revealed to you…'” IT, p. 74. What a frightening scene. Although we may not be called as a prophet of the Lord, nevertheless we could be just as guilty as she could have been, if we refuse to carry the truths of the Lord to our friends, neighbours, workmates, fellow students and strangers we may meet. We will be guilty of their blood. If we centralize in one city, those crying for help in other areas will be our responsibility. What will we do with this responsibility?

ANCIENT ISRAEL

When the nation of Israel was on the border of Canaan for the first time, there were only two men among the congregation who had the courage to believe that God would fight for them and that they could conquer the Canaanites. The rest of the people were afraid. Because of their fear they were sent back to wander in the wilderness for 40 years and they eventually died in the wilderness. They paid dearly for their lack of courage. The long hoped-for new home in the “Land flowing with milk and honey” was not to be realized. When the Lord tells us to go forward, we must go, believing that God can do the impossible. He will open the way before us. It is a fearful thing to refuse to do God’s will due to our own fears.

“Men who ought to be as true in every emergency as the needle to the pole, have become inefficient by their efforts to shield themselves from censure and by evading responsibilities for fear of failure. Men of giant intellect are babes in discipline because they are cowardly in regard to taking and bearing the burdens they should. They are neglecting to become efficient.” 3T, p. 495,496.

“The fearful and unbelieving, who are punished with the second death, are of that class who are ashamed of Christ in this world. They are afraid to do right and follow Christ, lest they should met with pecuniary loss. They neglect their duty, to avoid reproach and trials, and to escape dangers. Those who dare not do right because they will thus expose themselves to trials, persecution, loss, and suffering are cowards, and, with idolaters, liars, and all sinners, they are ripening for the second death.” 2T, p. 630.

“Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. One barrier broken down will give greater ability and courage to go forward. Press in the right direction, and make a change, solidly, intelligently. Then circumstances will be your helpers and not your hindrances. Make a beginning. The oak is in the acorn.” 6T p. 145.

“We all know that the sin of many professing Christians is that they lack the courage and energy to bring themselves and those connected with them up to the standard.” 9T, p. 45.

THE TWO ROADS

There are only two roads to heaven and it takes great courage to travel the narrow road while the masses are flocking to the broad road. Yes, you will be ridiculed; you will be persecuted, but take heart because Jesus has traveled the road before you and He has promised to be with you every step of the way.

‘”Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ These roads are distinct, separate, in opposite directions. One leads to eternal life, the other to eternal death. I saw the distinction between these roads, also the distinction between the companies traveling them. The roads are opposite; one is broad and smooth, the other narrow and rugged. So the parties that travel them are opposite in character, in life, in dress, and in conversation.

“Those who are traveling the narrow way are talking of the joy and happiness they will have at the end of the journey. Their countenances are often sad, yet often beam with holy, sacred joy. They do not dress like the company in the broad road, nor talk like them, nor act like them. A pattern has been given them. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief opened that road for them, and traveled it Himself. His followers see His footsteps, and are comforted and cheered. He went through safely; so can they, if they follow in His footsteps.

“In the broad road all are occupied with their persons, their dress, and the pleasures in the way. They indulge freely in hilarity and glee, and think not of their journey’s end, of the certain destruction at the end of the path. Every day they approach nearer their destruction; yet they madly rush on faster and faster. Oh, how dreadful this looked to me!

“I saw many traveling in this broad road who hai the words written upon them: ‘Dead to the world. The end of all things is at hand. Be ye also ready.’ They looked just like all the vain ones around them, except a shade of sadness which I noticed upon their countenances. Their conversation was just like that of the gay, thoughtless ones around them; but they would occasionally point with great satisfaction to the letters on their garments, calling for the others to have the same upon theirs. They were in the broad way, yet they professed to be of the number who were traveling the narrow way. Those around them would say: ‘There is no distinction between us. We are alike; we dress and talk and act alike.'” IT, p. 127,127.

As we near the close of this earth’s history, evil is waxing worse and worse; false Protestantism is increasingly becoming more corrupt; the difference between the true followers of God and the world will become greater. God’s people will be viewed as different and it takes great courage to stand for the Lord. Many fear losing friends, family, jobs, material goods, etc. if they decide to follow the pathway that our Savior walked. It is too straight and narrow, yet only those who are willing to sever every earthly tie, will be saved for time and eternity. Jesus is calling the youth to a great challenge today. He wants an army of youth to finish the work on this earth; He is looking for youth with courage, stamina, strength and no fear of being different. We must deny ourselves, pick up our crosses and follow the Lord today. It is my wish and prayer that we would each one, possess this courage that only the Lord can give and follow Him where He will lead us.
AMEN.