Written by Dynamis Ministries | March 20, 2025
Do you remember going to school as a child and having classmates who were bullied or made fun of because they were “different”? Perhaps they were a bit unkempt — greasy hair, dirty clothes and maybe even some noticeable body odor. Or maybe their behavior was a bit unusual — a troublemaker, an attention seeker or possibly a loner or outcast. It could also have been their physical appearance — a unique facial feature, a strange gait or an uncommon body type.
Whatever the case, being labeled as “different” typically doesn’t earn the applause of the crowd. In fact, being different can be quite embarrassing and hurtful, especially for young people in the groupthink and peer-pressure phase of life. While “being different” is certainly still an insult or a put-down in many ways today, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, as Christians, being different may be one of our greatest witnesses.
One of the earliest discovered documents defending the Christian faith is called The Epistle to Diognetus. It is authored by an unknown writer and provides an insightful look into what differentiated the early Christians from non-Christians of the day. In other words, how were the Christians different? In a rather poetic section, the writer observed this about the Christians:
They have a common table, but not a common bed.
They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh.
They are poor, yet make many rich.
They are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all.
They are insulted, and repay the insult with honor.
They do good, yet are punished as evil-doers.
As we can see, Christians in the ancient world were viewed as different. Outsiders quickly noticed the revolutionary attitudes and practices exhibited by their Christian neighbors, such as joy, generosity, forgiveness and faithfulness. These counter-cultural beliefs and behaviors that set Christians apart are exactly what attracted many non-Christians to the faith, leading them to eventually become part of God’s family.
As you think about your own Christian witness, do you think others look at you as being “different” too? Do others look at you and wonder, how can you be at peace when so many are living with unrest? Why are you always hospitable to those that others ignore? How come you don’t engage in gossip like everybody else? Being different can certainly be challenging but be encouraged that our “different-ness” may actually be one of our most compelling qualities leading others to Jesus in ways we may not even know!
