How Weird Are You?

 This is why I never get the things accomplished that I want to accomplish. This morning, I was adding some new holiday flavors to my coffee pod organizer. I have guests coming next week and I want them to have different flavors to enjoy while they are here. I don’t think that’s weird, just a way of showing hospitality. But then my process got weird. I spent a significant amount of time organizing the pods that don’t fit in the storage drawers. I eventually got them back in the original box, divided in zip lock bags in the upright position so that people can look in from the top and see what coffee flavor is in that bag.

Our family openly talks with each other about our weirdness. Thanksgiving we talked about that when I was in high school, I would write entire pages of narrative backwards, right to left, mirror image. I thought I could still do that and showed them. Then they all tried to see if they could do it, wondering if it was some genetic trait. 

Other families probably have the same kind of conversations with each other. Maybe. If you don’t, then that just magnifies my family’s idea that we are all weird. :-)

All that to say, this morning I have been thinking about being weird, different, peculiar, odd.

Titus 2:14 

KJV Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

1 Peter 2:9

KJV 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

When we accept the gift of salvation that Jesus provided for us by His sacrificial death, burial, resurrection, we are set apart, purified from our iniquity, redeemed to be different than those who reject His gift. . We are a peculiar people. We have a purpose, a reason to have a zeal for living a godly life and growing in our relationship with Him. We are given the freedom to approach Holy God because His sacrifice makes us different. We exhibit the praises that belong only to Him. We are different, peculiar, some might even say weird.

Ephesians 4:22-24

HCSV  22 You took off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires; 23 you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; 24 you put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

Paul explains this to the Ephesians. We are different, peculiar, because we are a new self, one created according to God’s likeness. His Spirit works in us to change us.

2 Corinthians 5:17

HCSV 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

We are different, peculiar, because we are a new creation when we accept God’s gift of redemption.

Now, I know that organizing coffee pods or writing backwards is not what scripture is talking about. Those things may be a sign of something I should be concerned about. But weird, different, peculiar, because God has redeemed me, forgiven me, loves me, dwells in me…That’s a good thing. That’s the best thing. 

The question I ask myself, and the question for you to ask yourself, is “Am I the good kind of peculiar, or the weird kind of peculiar?”