This is a common problem that all of us face to some degree. We all want to fit in with our friends, coworkers, and even our family. We often give in to the pressure that comes with that at the cost of damaging or even destroying our testimony. God didn’t call us to fit in, he called us out of the darkness of the world and into his wonderful light.
If that means that we have to look or act differently than others, then we must be willing to take that stance. We must not be ashamed of God before our peers or hide the fact the we are his followers. How can our testimony be effective if we are living a double life? How will others know about God unless we tell them and demonstrate his love by the way that we live?
Think about times that you have given in to peer pressure and changed your behavior to reflect that of your peers. Don’t condemn yourself for it, learn from it! We have all done that. Instead, think about how the next time you find yourself in that situation, you will shine God’s light into it and turn it around. He will be there with you and show you the way. Be the light that he called you to be!
1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) - “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”