A number of years ago I walked up to a home that I was scheduled to have a sales appointment at and as the gentleman opened his door, ever so slightly, I could see he was wearing an aluminum foil hat. Now it was not very hard to sell a home security system to someone that paranoid (and strange).
Now we as Believers are living in a land that seems extremely “strange” but even “stranger” than that is there are those with whom we had lived our former life around that see this present world and have no real problem with it, but see us now as the “strange” ones. Peter addresses this is his first epistle to the Believers in the fourth chapter verses one through four “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:”
So if you find yourself in a “strange-land” being considered “strange” what do you do? Quit? Compromise?…
You need to recall what you were before you came to Christ, not to glory in Satan’s traps and tricks. But to recall what Jesus really rescued you from – the guilt, the regrets, the un-trust, the hurt, the pain. Paul listed numerous traps of the devil in I Corinthians 6:9-10 and in verse 11 reminded Believers of a truth, “such WERE some of you”. Recall what you were so as to help you to remember what you are now! You are washed, you are justified, and you are sanctified all through Jesus Christ, you are a child of the King. As you recall and remember also remind yourself of what God wants you to be, that is “to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). See all things do work together for the good, because you are being conformed.
So you’re living in a strange land, it’s ok, we will be home soon. Keep looking up, HE is coming!