The 'Real' World

We've all been either told or have said at some point, "You need to get in the real world!" It's a fine statement, often used when what you're doing doesn't line up with "reality." Someone recently told me that when they were giving me a hard time about being homeschooled. It got me thinking about it. I started to wonder, "What is the 'real world'"?  It is a celestial ball, but it is also a place that is, at this point, ruled by Satan and his followers. Jesus will be the King of this World, but at this point Satan is having a hay-day with the globe, but soon, praise the Lord, it will be ripped from his grasp.

If we are Christians, our lives should look very different from this world. It should be a compliment to be told to "Get in the 'real world.'"  When I was told this, it made me frustrated because I felt like they thought that I am naive to this world and the world of "modern teens." And then it dawned on me, I am! I know very little about what goes on among teenagers these days. I have a lot of friends from all over the country and even all over the world, but I am still naive. I don't say that to make myself look good by any means, but I thanked God that He has made me a creation that is neon compared to a very black and white world. I didn't do it, He did. I suddenly realized that I do not want to be of this world. Many Christians, not only live in the world (we obviously have to be in the world), but are of it as well. It hurts me to see so many teens (I'm going to talk about teens since I am one) claiming Jesus as their Savior and yet when you talk to them about God, Jesus, or church, they laugh (I'm not kidding). We do need to be in the world and witness to others, but there is a difference between being in as a Christian and being in just like every other person. You don't have to date, party, talk badly, or whatever else to be in the "real world." Saying that we love Jesus is not enough. Coming to church is not enough. If the shows we watch, things we say and way we live doesn't shine out blindingly compared to this culture, then we are failing. A lady named Linda Horton spoke at a ladies conference at our church a couple weeks ago and one of the greatest things she said was the simple words, "If you say Jesus is your Lord, then He should be your Lord."

Don't skip over this verse, this is what God says on the matter.

 1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.



Standing out.



It is good not to be apart of this world! We don't have to catch up with the latest. We are living for an entirely different purpose, to serve God and work for the Kingdom of Heaven. We can witness and help others like Jesus did when He was here, but we need to be very careful that we don't get pulled down. The next time someone says "You need to get in the real world!" I'll be happy that God is using me as a neon orange light to a very bleak world. Will you join me as a light to this world? Then others will see that we can be a light without being of this world.