Dare to Be Different

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we are often called a peculiar people. Most people would take offense to being called peculiar. I actually relish the idea. In a society where normal equals worldly or of the world, peculiar means we are not worldly or of the world. We have been taught to be in the world but not of the world. This can be quite difficult because everybody wants to fit in. And fitting in usually entails compromising standards.


I have always been somewhat peculiar. I didn't fit in in high school. And honestly, I didn't want to. Because the supposedly cool people, were not cool at all. Let me give you one example. During PE class one of the girls was made fun of by some "cool" girls. For no other reason than she was different. Perhaps peculiar. She didn't wear the latest fashion, she didn't wear her hair in the latest fashionable haircut, perhaps she wasn't quite as coordinated at the others, maybe a little slow. The sad thing was, the "cool" girls who were making fun of this girl were members of the church. I was happy to be peculiar and be this girl's friend, rather than to be "cool".

Dare to be different. Dare to stand up for what you know is right.
Dare to walk out of a movie.
Dare to turn the radio off.
Dare to turn the television off.
Dare to tell your friends no, when they ask you to compromise your standards. Even if they are members of the church.
Dare to be ridiculed by others because of your unwavering standards.
Dare to talk about the Gospel and its standards to nonmembers.
Dare to be peculiar.

I could give several more examples of when I did and didn't follow this advice. But I think I will leave it at that. Suffice it to say, life is much more enjoyable when you follow the Gospel and live the standards of the church. Let us all strive to be peculiar!

Why should we care about the world's opinion anyway? In the end, it is the Lord's opinion that matters.

I hope the world finds me very peculiar!

That's my two cents.