One of the greatest pressures we face in life is the pressure to conform and be like everybody else.  Sometimes it is hard to be the unique person we were created to be, and so instead we cave in to peer pressure on a lot of different levels – whether it be the way we dress, the music we listen to, our social activities, or jumping on board the latest internet trends.  We don’t want to be different – don’t want to stand out too much.  We want to be “in.”  Just think how many millions of people pander to be “accepted” as a “friend” on Facebook by people they barely know.

We’re big on image and we work to create persona – an image that will fit in and be accepted by people.  Our identity gets all wrapped up in the wrong things and we put a ton of energy into looking good to other people.

Even the non-conformists among us often conform to the latest image of the “non-conformists” in our culture.  When you meet a true non-conformist you realize that it really has nothing to do with image but with how the person lives their life and how they relate to the prevailing culture around them.  Those people are rare and beautiful, and usually convict us of our shallowness.

In The Story of Israel, Samuel the prophet was one of those non-conformists who lived a different story and remained a faithful voice for God in the midst of the spiritual corruption and hypocrisy that was part of his environment.

By contrast the people of Israel wanted to be like everyone else around them.  Rather than being content being a truly unique chosen people and allowing God to rule over them and speak to them through His prophets, they wanted a king like everyone else.  After Samuel warned them how the political thing of a king would turn out, they insisted: “Even so, we still want a king. We want to be like the nations around us.”

And they got a king, Saul, who turned out to care more about his own image and reputation than following God and obeying him.  After disobeying God and even building a monument to himself; Saul was rejected by God who told him the kingdom of Israel would be taken from him.  Later when Saul pleads with Samuel for forgiveness, he asks Samuel to go with him to the Tabernacle to worship the Lord.  But his motives aren’t really to worship God.  Listen to what he says: “I know I have sinned.  But please, at least honor me before the leaders and before my people by going with me to worship the Lord your God.”

Did you catch it?  Saul was only concerned about looking good in front of all the people.  He was worried about his image.  Instead of being authentic and humble enough to confess his sin and failure to obey God, he tried desperately to protect his reputation.

We need to be people who are less concerned about our image and reputation than we are about our character and faithfulness.  Forget about being like everybody else or worrying about what everyone else thinks.  What matters is the image of Christ being shaped in you.

So, let’s hear it.  Three cheers for the non-conformists who dare to live God’s way.