Contrast

“Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord. . . ” (1 Corinthians 6:17)

Light and darkness, large and small, sweet-smelling and stinky—contrasts. Things that are different—reveal a distinction.  

As the Lord’s soldiers, God supplies everything we need to stand firm and face each day boldly, geared up, fitted for life’s battles. But God will not strap us with His armor, nor will He make us take it up and put it on. Neither will He make us saturate our hearts and minds with His Word and pray unceasingly. Those are things we soldiers must choose to do. We must decide to don God’s armor and bravely face what each day holds. God is on our side and by our side. He is our strength and our every battle’s Victor if we let Him.

Whether marching through battle or taking a stroll, our lives should reflect integrity and godliness. Everything we do, what we say, even our countenance should not only be different but strikingly different from that of the world’s, including “good” people. Wherever we are, others should note we are not like everyone else; we should never “blend in.” The difference should cause them to want to know why and we should be ready to explain.

Does your life have contrast? It should. In this chapter, Paul tells of circumstances he and his coworkers overcame; their lives had distinction. We, too, should live as faithful ministers of God our Father and Commander, making a difference in this lost world.