What Do They Think?

Have you ever felt like you had to work to get people to like you? School, church, homeschool co-op, work—anywhere you go there are expectations to act a certain way, to say certain things, to not do this, and to definitely not do that! You might feel like you have to guard yourself to make sure no one sees who you really are because they might not like that person. Looking for approval is something we all do, but we often look for acceptance in the wrong places. When we focus on being the cool kid or being the teacher’s favorite or wearing the right thing, we sometimes forget we belong to Jesus, our loving King and the One who should be the center of every action we take. It’s so difficult to fight the urge to fit in because, even though our world says, “Be yourself” and “You’re perfect just like you are,” we still are constantly being judged and even rejected by others. But why should we try so hard to fit in when God has called us to be different? In Christ, He’s given us a new identity as His children, and we belong to Him. When we focus on that truth, we don’t care how other people are acting. Because of the love Jesus gives us, we become focused on showing others His love and truth instead of worrying about what others think of us. Teenagers especially have an opportunity to be a light to the world. Why teenagers especially? You’ve heard the stereotypes! *Teenagers are lazy. They just want to have fun and be cool. They are self-obsessed and addicted to their phones.* But, in Christ, we can be the ones to break the stereotypes. We can be the ones who work hard and don’t care if other people think we’re weird. We can be the ones who are respectful, intuitive, smart, and helpful, putting others first and reflecting Christ’s truth and grace in every interaction (John 1:14). We don’t have to conform to the world’s expectations because we are being transformed to be like Jesus (Romans 12:1-2)! • Leah Najimy • Have you ever felt pressured to look or act a certain way? How did you deal with it? • Reread 1 Peter 2:9-12. What are some things that come with having our identity in Christ? • How does knowing we are accepted and loved in Jesus affect the way we view others and what they think about us? Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Romans 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:9-12