Encouragement

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The Transformation of a Non-Conformist
Glenn A. Hascall


Recently I was reminded of high school days. I recalled the old high school that I started out in and the new high school that was built during my sophomore year.

There were photography and aviation classes - theater productions and work schedules - my first car and my first experience driving a bus.

The old school featured “Hero Hall”. The art department had painted a variety of super heroes along one of the longest halls in the school. The new school was beautiful, but lacked character.

These were the years of my strongest expressions of being a teenage non-conformist. I never seemed to be interested in the same things my peers were. Many things they liked to do I had no problems saying no to. They wore trendy clothes while I wore either overalls or a t-shirt with an unbuttoned and untucked flannel shirt over it.

While I was home reading, my peers were enjoying cruising main. I didn’t seem to lack friends. In fact, I had one classmate say that I was part of the largest clique that he had ever seen. It was possible to see me talking with one of the most popular people in my class one minute and one of the ‘unknown’ the next.

I’m not certain why I was accepted by so many, but I have a suspicion that it had something to do with the lifestyle of a non-conformist.

My peers had no trouble knowing where I stood on things (I was quite willing to share my views) and there came a sometimes grudging respect with that knowledge.

I didn’t see myself as either popular or despised. There was just this acceptance of who I was and, for whatever reason, this seemed good enough to those around me. I own no sports pins, I won no royalty - it didn’t really matter to me.

You know, come to think of it, I had a pretty significant example.

Jesus didn’t do things the way everyone else did them - He didn’t party like the publicans, He didn’t steal like the tax collectors, He wasn’t self-righteous like the Pharisees. Yet there were people in each group that were drawn to Him. They had no question about the fact that He was unique and there was something about that difference that drew men to Him.

He never sought popularity, He didn’t sway with the opinion of others, He was comfortable with who He was - and it showed. He was real.

Like all non-conformists He also suffered from the pettiness and hateful words of others who somehow saw Him as a threat. Yet instead of pettiness and hate He responded in love.

One of the most incredible verses in Scripture is “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2 - NIV)

We are not to live according to the style or manner of the world we live in. When everyone is trying to keep up with the Joneses, we may decide there are more important things to be concerned about. While others keep everything they earn, we might give in order to help someone who has a need.

Being a non-conformist may seem like hard work, maybe it doesn’t seem natural. When you renew your mind by reading and thinking about God’s Word you will begin to be transformed. Suddenly you will discover that either you are out of step with everyone else - or maybe you’ve just found a different drummer to march to. It might even amaze you when you see the places your marching to.

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