Called to Stand OutSample

Do you ever feel like you just don’t fit in?

Like no matter how hard you try, there is something about you that does not quite match the world around you? Maybe your priorities don’t line up with the people in your friend group. Maybe your values feel “too much” in a world that seems to celebrate everything you are trying to stay away from. Or maybe you have just felt… different. Like you were made for something else.

That feeling of tension—the one that makes you wonder if you are out of place—is not a sign to back down. It’s a sign to lean in!

You were made for something else. You were made for something more!

In Philippians, Paul reminds us that as followers of Jesus, we are meant to stand out. We are supposed to shine! Not be vaguely different. Not just blend in with slightly better choices. We are called to be a light in the middle of a world that is hurting, broken, and lost. And in order to shine, we have to stop striving to fit in!

I’ll never forget a moment during my senior year of college. I was sitting in the quad, watching crowds of people rush by, everyone heading somewhere. I remember feeling like I was surrounded by so many people… and yet still felt so out of place. And in that moment, I sensed the Holy Spirit whisper something I’ll never forget: “You don’t belong here.”

It wasn’t about a location. It was about identity! God was reminding me that I wasn’t created for the applause of this world—I was created for the approval of Heaven. I wasn’t here to copy culture—I was here to carry Christ.

If you have ever felt like an outsider, you are not broken. You are not behind. You are not failing. You are walking in what it means to follow Jesus! Because when you truly live for Him, you will look different.

And that’s the whole point.

So hold on tight to the truth. Keep clinging to the Word of life. Keep living boldly. Keep walking in light. This world may not understand you—but it needs what you carry!

Reflection Question: Where in your life are you tempted to blend in when God is calling you to shine?