LightGrams
May 13, 2021
Volume 25, Number 18
A woman was arrested on Monday after sneaking onto a high school campus in Miami, Florida. Though she is 28 years old, Audrey Francisquini was doing her best to look like other students there; she wore a backpack and was carrying a skateboard. Authorities with the school system are investigating how she got onto the campus.
No, her motives were not violent or destructive. She was passing out information, trying to gain followers to her Instagram account. Maybe she stood to gain financially from building up a larger following. Whatever her reasons, she knew she wasn’t supposed to be at American Senior High School, or she wouldn’t have disguised herself as she did.
We wouldn’t say that Jesus “disguised” Himself when He came to earth, although He certainly did blend in. The closest we have to a physical description of Jesus is in a prophecy found in Isaiah 53:2: “… He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.”
Isaiah wasn’t saying that Messiah would be unattractive, but that His appearance wouldn’t stand out. Saul, on the other hand, who became the first king of Israel, was described in 1 Samuel 10:23: “… when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.” Saul looked like a king!
What Ms. Francisquini brings to my mind, however, is how we often get ourselves into difficulties when we try to blend in. For one reason or another many of us want to be like others around us. In pursuing that we may lose our distinctiveness as God’s people.
John issued a warning on wanting to be like the world: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:15,16).
Demas is a case in point. We don’t know much about this Christian, but we know that for a time he was a companion of the apostle Paul (see Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24). The last word about Demas, however, is sad: “For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world …” (2 Timothy 4:10). Loving the world led him to walk away from serving the Lord. Did he ever come back?
Here’s how Peter describes followers of Christ: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Now that we have come out of darkness we shouldn’t even consider returning. May we strongly resist all temptations to put on worldly disguise to blend in!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2021, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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