Todays Reading, Leviticus 16-18
Focal Scripture: Leviticus 18:3 “Do not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, or follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You must not follow their customs.”
Being different can be a good thing and it can be a bad thing. On the negative side being different can get you made fun of by others. It can also have you be very misunderstood. Worst yet being different can cause you to be isolated by others to purposefully push away from others.
It can also be a good experience. When you are different it can cause people to see you as an individual. A person who makes their own decisions and doesn’t follow the crowd. Being different also demonstrates thinking that is critical and understands the consequences of being like everyone else.
In today’s reading we are told that the Israelites should be different from those they lived with and watched on a daily basis. They were also warned to not follow the practices of the people they were about to intermingle with in the future. God was making it clear to them, be different. Don’t live like everyone else. The temptation will come but it must be denied to stay holy and pure.
We know from scripture that the Israelites failed at this mission. They were different in some respects but would often revert back to things they saw and witnessed. They would worship false gods and live a lifestyle of sinners.
The application for believers is to learn the lesson the Israelites messed up on often. We must not live like the world. We will be tempted and we will have opportunities to practice in sin. However, we must choose to be different and follow after Christ with reckless abandon.
So I challenge you today with this question. What do you need to stop following? What practice has taken you captive that makes you look and act like the world? When we get ahold of these things and surrender them to Christ we will see the difference it makes in us and those around us.
Be different. Don’t be molded by the world. It will corrupt us and ruin us quickly.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Leviticus 19-21
