Stand Up!

One of the most undervalued blessings is God's will to make every individual a unique creation. It takes all kinds of people to do the great work of the Lord's kingdom, and it's a good thing that each of us has special talents, callings, and gifts to serve this purpose. Working together, we can accomplish great things. Unfortunately, the world doesn't value unique character. In fact, being different often translates to being misunderstood.

Take it from one who's been there. I am certainly not like other people. I was raised in a Christian home where faith, hope, honesty and integrity still mean more than anything else in the world. Above all, my brother and I were taught to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit and not to compromise our faith for any "easy way out" the world may offer. I was lucky to marry a wonderful man that was raised with the same values. Then I entered the work force. Although college did prepare me to face working with people that hold different values, there was no way to brace myself for the harsh reality that waited.

At first things went well. I worked for a wonderful person that trained me well and had faith in my ability to learn and grow. After a year and a half in that position, I was promoted to another job that required me to move to a different office. This too went fairly well, until we consolidated three years later. Then everything changed. It went from a small, easy-going office to a large formal setting where cliques were common and conformity was prized above all else.

It didn't take me (and everybody else) long to find out something vital about my character: I'm a non-conformist. Although I tried blending in and making people happy, I eventually grew frustrated with putting on an act. My sense of right and wrong was tested at several points, and I found myself falling back on my faith. I was relieved to find that when I was put to the test, I turned to the Lord and not the easy way out ? but I was the only one happy about this personal discovery. To put it kindly, my sense of ethics was more sensitive than they liked, and their cliques frustrated me. Fortunately, we consolidated again two years later, and I was transferred to another section with wonderful people of faith that shared my interests and values. It took a while to flush the poison of conformity out of my system, but God bless them because they were patient and understanding. I still thank God every day for delivering me from that situation. Although I wore it as a badge of honor, two years as the office freak was quite enough.

That was a hard time for me, but I learned a lot about my faith and myself. One of the most important things I learned is that God values you as an individual, even if other people don't. What really matters is if He can use you, not if other people can use you to get ahead and make themselves look good.

Although the world may say, "the ends justify the means," God does not accept this excuse. Christians are the light of the world, and if you prayerfully follow the Lord's way and do what is right, He will always work things out for the best in the end.

God needs all kinds of people working for Him, and each of us meets certain requirements. If He can use a fiercely independent, non-conformist like me, He can use you as well. Christ died for us to have a union with God and an opportunity to be all we can be. Stand up, and be proud of who you are in Him! After all, "If God is for us, who is against us?" (Romans 8:31 RSV) It doesn't matter, because His opinion is really the only one that matters. The world may make us pay a price for doing what is right, but the Lord will always see us through to the eternal rewards.

Sherri Fulmer Moorer is a freelance Christian/Inspirational writer from Columbia, SC. Her writing focuses on applying faith to everyday living situations, and is based on her own personal experiences and the experiences of those around her. Her goal is to show people that the battles they face in life are shared by others, and how the Lord can use their experiences to build faith. She is the author of Battleground Earth - Living by Faith in a Pagan World (PublishAmerica 2004), which is a book about spiritual warfare and discovering faith in day-to-day living. For additional information, please visit the Battleground Earth web page at http://hometown.aol.com/bgearth/index.html

---

Keeping Faith

Direct Answers - Column for the week of June 30,... Read More

Breaking Bonds

I am just out of high school, and I have... Read More

Need A Boost? Take a Look at How Far Youve Come

Too many of us are too hard on ourselves, always... Read More

Universal Thought Systems Language Part 2

Before we are able to use the Universal Thought System... Read More

Beauty, Gratitude, and the Open Heart

"?beauty on your earth is a shadow of the beauty... Read More

Head First

I stepped up to the edge and looked down. I... Read More

Quotable Quotes Are Nothing More Than Flowery Words

Quotable quotes are nothing more than flowery words... And anyone... Read More

Coming To Your Senses, Again and Again!

When we talk about the Enchanted Self we are referring... Read More

Abused as a Child

Child abuse is a much more common event, than is... Read More

Caste Out

Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 29,... Read More

Humble Riches

"We come equipped with everything we need to experience a... Read More

Thoughts on Loving

Loving. It seems like such a simple concept. But those... Read More

An Extraordinary Person

I am not going to tell you the story of... Read More

When Human Beings Take It To The Limit

In life we all have dreams and goals, aspirations to... Read More

Ctrl-Alt-Delete Your Life

Ah, the good old "Vulcan nerve pinch", the three-fingered salute,... Read More

As A Caterpillar

"Happiness can be as elusive as a fluttering butterlfy but... Read More

Succeed by Whistling While You Work

Mark Twain (1835-1910) believed that having fun is important if... Read More

Numbers

Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 19,... Read More

Computers and Internet: Inspiring Us to Create

The Internet is sometimes criticized (usually by parents who think... Read More

Facing the Enemies Within

We are not born with courage, but neither are we... Read More

Energy Work Basics Part 1: So What is Energy?

Everything is made of energy. Atoms, molecules, light, sound and... Read More

A Dream is Just a Dream ... Or is It?

Some people dismiss dreams as nonsense, thought patterns running amuck... Read More

Save the Planet with Your Joy!

Your own level of frequency raises or lowers the overall... Read More

Without Love

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 30,... Read More

Dream Board

DREAM IT, CREATE IT, BECOME ITIf you've been reading my... Read More