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2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Rom 12:2
CONFORMING TO THE WORLD OR TO GOD
“Do not be conformed” to the world is our key thought here.
Paul saw conforming in his day and realized the pressure on people to be molded into the acceptable customs and beliefs of the day.
JUNIOR HIGH
The world is certainly still trying to mold us to fit her form. Paul saw it then and we see it now.
The centuries have only developed the practice even more. Often in a more deadly fashion.
Just step into the life of a junior high student for a day and you will find a far different value system than that of a generation or two ago. Judgment abounds toward your clothing and shoes and looks as never before. Kids are bullied at an unprecedented rate. The pressure to just be accepted and popular and one of the crowd gets a little more important every year. And more deadly.
Ask the families of those who have lost a child due to the cyberbullying that pulled the joy of living from their child’s soul. Mere children and young adults take their own lives because the pain of losing their lives was less than the pain they faced daily in the classroom. Time in school, walking in the hallways, riding on the buses, and time in the lunchroom became their times of torture. At home, reading through social media jabs, life became totally intolerable.
INSTEAD
Instead of conforming to the distorted values of this world, let your mind be transformed by Jesus. He will renew your mind to realize what is important in the long term.
You will see that this time that seems eternal here in 6th grade will, in fact, pass.
God alone will remain, and He will remain with you. You are not alone.
LOVED FOR WHO YOU ARE
And He loves you for who you are. If you have received Jesus as your Savior, you are His.
You have the value of being a child of the God Who created the universes and is your Father
PROVE
Prove, show, live, and let others see that there is good in this world and that you hold on to that as His Child.
Live in a way that is acceptable to God. Live in the perfect will of God.
Can you do this alone? No. We humans aren’t strong enough alone.
GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US
To get that help, we ask God for the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. He puts His Loving Holy Spirit within our hearts to be our Guide and Comforter.
We will be shown which way to go.
Jesus will show us who to befriend and what to avoid.
He gives us strength that we cannot have on our own.
MORE LIKE JESUS AND NOT LIKE THE WORLD
Be more like Jesus and less like the world.
Conform to His likeness with His help.
Let the rest go.
With His strength, time will pass and you will come through strong and serving God all your days.
God be with you as you conform to Him and not to the world.