I heard an awesome teaching some time ago, can't really recall who it was but this guy was bashing the modern american Christians (he had been overseas for many years) and how fake they all seem to him. He said this because he had been to countries in which people really die for the faith in God and he was talking about how here in the U.S we have it so easy and yet we fail in representing Jesus. We go to our churches, play the part of being Christians and then leave and go to our hipochrite lives. This guy was a little too harsh, but he made a good point. I see everyday people that claim to be Christians once or twice a week and the rest of the week they live just like the world.

I've been reading this verse a lot lately and paying close attention to what it says and I can not help but to feel convicted every time I do. God does not want us to be like the world, He does not wants us to be apart from the things of the world and be like Him, in the image of His Son. That is such a hard thing since we get so enraptured in our daily routines and not just that, we are sorrounded by a world that is taking God out more each day from everything. Not only that but, we are surrounded by temptations and things of the enemy every time we turn on the TV or the radio or simply walk down the street.

We are so quick to judge others and judge decisions the world does but we are better at speaking than doing. That is one of things I feel the most convicted about as I write this! I am so good at looking down at the unsaved and not so good to show them the love of Jesus, specially when they are doing things that I don't like.

The point I want to get across with this blog post tonight is that we are to be representatives of Jesus Christ in all we do, not of the world. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ as 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, not only in the comfort of our churches, but in all we do! I love the way that it is put so simple to us in one of my favorite verses:

Paul here is urging the Christians in Corinth not to imitate him as a a person, but to imitate his example of imitating Christ. In the same way, we ought to strive to do the same in our own life. We are to imitate the example of Christ and be different from the world. I love reading the gospels, but specially Matthew as it shows the amazing example of Jesus and how He was so revolutionary different than the Jews of the day, specially the Pharisees who were so consumed in themselves and the rabbinical law that they forgot the way to live a Godly example.

Living a Godly example is difficult, yes it is, but don't forget that all things are possible through the power of God. As I have mentioned before, I struggle daily with living a righteous life, sometimes I feel as if non-believers are constantly watching and waiting for me to fall, and when I do they just are quick to judge. The reality is that I am not perfect, and neither is any other believer I know, but one thing I know for sure, that with Jesus Christ living within me, I know what is right and wrong, I have a disgust for the things of this world just like Romans 12:2 stresses so much.

Dare to REPRESENT, that is what I am challenging you to do, dare to be different!