“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:16 ESV)
When you walk through a tourist attraction, it is easy to pick out the locals versus the travelers. The locals don’t need to carry a map; they just know where they’re going because it’s their home turf. Visitors tend to stand off to the side, observing and holding up brightly coloured guides, twisting and turning them in order to find their bearings.
Jesus, when speaking with the Father about us as His followers, made it pretty clear that we’re to be tourists down here. We aren’t to blend in or to take on any fleshly confidence in this strange land called earth, but instead should be seen as different. We need to stand off to the side, pull out our ‘Travel Guide’ – the Bible – and test and see if where we are walking is where we should be. We should never feel so at home here that we stop seeking the Word and the Holy Spirit for direction and discernment.
And more than that, we need to put on our fanny packs, and walk in a manner that says to those around us, ‘This world is beautiful, but we know of a better place’. We should not be applying for permanent residency here on earth, but rather holding loosely to our temporary visitor pass.
Father, forgive us for compromising our lives and blending in when You have called us to be aliens in this strange land. Help us to stand out in such a way that others see Your Light within us and desire to follow Your Road Map to redemption.
