Unconventional

Last Sunday was Easter. The title of the sermon that day was Living Redeemer and the text was Job 19:23-27. The thrust of the message that for the Christian, no matter how rough, tough, or difficult to handle life may become, a Christian has the hope of the resurrection. A member of the congregation told me they were not expecting Job, which was unconventional but I am unconventional. As I have had time to think about that statement the more I realize it was a great compliment.


Conventional is an adjective that is defined as based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed. Therefore, unconventional is an adjective that is defined as based on or in accordance with what is not generally done or believed. Granted, years ago unconventional would not be a compliment but the way the world is changing (for the worse and not the better), I believe unconventional is the way to go.


As I told the Wednesday Bible Study Group last night, we do not need to do what everybody else is doing, but we need to do what everyone else needs to be doing. We are to be salt and light. We are to be different, even peculiar. We are to be in the world but not of the world. We are to be unconventional. We are to do and believe what is not generally done or believed.


It is unconventional to go to church.


It is unconventional to forgive one of his or her offenses.


It is unconventional to sacrificially give one's time, energy, and resources to meet the need of a stranger.


It is unconventional to share the Gospel unashamedly.


It is unconventional to stand for one's convictions no matter the cost.


It is unconventional to consider oneself last on a personal list of priorities.


It is unconventional to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.


It is unconventional to believe Jesus is the only way to Heaven.


It is unconventional to believe most people will go to Hell.


It is unconventional to believe success is not measured by a balance in the bank.


It is unconventional to believe we are not the most important person in the world.


It is unconventional to believe we should take advantage of every last minute we have, not wasting one.


It is unconventional to believe we will have to answer for everything we do, whether good or bad.


It is unconventional to believe we are not living for this life, but living for eternity.


I have absolutely no problem with being unconventional and hope to become more unconventional today than I was yesterday.