Session 14

Some things are too important to worry about fitting in

From Mark: A 6-Week Devotional

We all want to be part of the “in” crowd at some point in our life. Maybe you went to extraordinary lengths to be part of the cool table at school, to move to that next income bracket, or to keep up with the latest parenting trends. But what happens when we allow fitting in to become more important than honoring God?

That was Joseph of Arimathea’s situation. Joseph was secretly a disciple of Jesus. He wanted to blend in for good reason. As a member of the Sanhedrin, if Joseph had been open about his true beliefs, it could have easily lead to his death.

When Jesus died, Joseph realized he could no longer keep his faith hidden. He asked to give Jesus a proper Jewish burial even though his actions could have resulted in punishment or death. Joseph was no longer willing to fit in at the expense of his faith.

Risking your reputation for what's right might be scary, but it's always worth it.

Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to the patterns of this world. When fitting in causes us to make decisions that don’t align with Jesus’ teaching, it’s time to take a cue from Joseph and be bold. That might mean managing our money differently, changing our approach to dating or making less-than-popular decisions at work. Risking our reputations for what's right might be scary, but it’s always worth it.

Reflect:

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is fitting in? Why did you pick the number you selected?
• Have you ever been in a situation where you had to compromise your faith in order to fit in? What happened as a result?
• What’s one area of your life where God has given you an opportunity to boldly share your faith?