Devotionals

Scripture Reading: Titus 2:14

As teens living in today’s world, we tend to try to find a place to fit in. We want to wear brand name clothes, drive spiced up cars, run with the popular crowd, etc. Our mind is set on worldly possessions and not Heavenly treasures. All these things are great if they don’t come between you and God. We fight the battles of peer pressure, self-confidence, acceptance, parental rules, and so much more. It’s a hard life.

Where does God fit in? Do you have time for Him? He is a vital part that makes your world go-round. Even though you may not sense Him, He’s there. He’s everywhere at all times. He allows you every breath that you take. What does it mean to be peculiar? It means to be unusual or abnormal. The Scripture text in Titus 2:14 says that He wants us to be a peculiar people. It is ok to be different, unusual, or abnormal. We don’t have to fit in with the rest of the crowd. Running with the crowd might get you into trouble. I know that being different in school didn’t make me unpopular or not liked. I had a lot of friends. We were all considered to be popular. I’m not saying that matters, but to some it does. Just because I was friends with these people did not mean that I did everything that they did. I didn’t mind being different. Have you ever felt like you were being shameful to your parents or to your “Christian” name because you wanted to fit in with the rest of your friends? I promise you that your friends, if they are true friends, will like you for being different especially if you are living a life of righteousness. If they make fun of you for being Godly, they weren’t your friends to begin with.

You should always think about what you do when you leave home. Don’t do anything that you think your parents would not approve of. Don’t lie to them about where you are or what you are doing. I promise that they will find out sooner or later. I know when I think back to my teenage years, my father always told me, “What you do when you leave this house reflects on me. Do you want to ruin our family name?” This kept me out of a lot of trouble. I didn’t want to bring shame on my father. In my life today, I live by the same quote except my every action reflects on my Heavenly Father. People know I’m a Christian, and if I reflect evil it gives all “Christians” a bad name. It affects the “whole Christian family.” It never mattered how bad I was, my daddy always disciplined me, loved me, and forgave me all at the same time. God is the same way. No matter what sin you have in your life, if you are a born again believer, there will be chastening (correction), love, and forgiveness with confession. He is a loving Father.

There is a command that comes from God found in Exodus 20:12. The Scripture says, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” What this scripture means is that if we will honor our father and mother then we should live a long life. We should really take this to heart. God expects us to be respectful to our parents. There will be times that our parents will want us to do things that we don’t want to do, but we should follow through with their commands because it is what God commands us to do. Our parents are authority over us just like God is the authority over the church. We don’t always want to clean our rooms, wear the clothes that they want us to wear, wash the dishes, do other chores, but that is a part of being a kid and learning responsibility and respect. Doing what we are told is showing honor to our parents or our authority. Same goes with school. We will always have someone in authority over us. I don’t care if you are the highest on the ladder in a big business, you still have someone to answer to; if nobody else you have to answer to God. He is our Supreme Authority. God promises us a long life if we honor our father and mother.

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• Tags: peculiar, purpose, supreme

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• Posted by: Brooke Cason