Joining In

Have you ever  been sitting on the beach and enjoying the peace of the surf and sun? Next thing you know someone has speakers blaring out music that is not your style? And it’s ruined the peace you were enjoying. I often wonder if they think we all want to listen to their genre of music!

But what can you do? Go ask them to turn it down? Give them dirty looks? Just put up with it until you leave the beach? 

Or, like I found myself doing, do you notice your foot is tapping to the beat? All of a sudden I realize what I’m doing and that I’ve just joined in with their preference of music.

As I was considering this that afternoon, I realized what a great metaphor for what we see in our own lives regarding joining in with the current cultural norms of our times, sometimes without even realizing what we’ve done.

We’ve listened so long to it that we just begin to go along. This is not what Jesus wants us to do when it contradicts His truth found in scripture. 

Paul tells us in Romans how we are to relate to the world’s way of thinking and living:

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

If we do not stand apart from unbiblical lifestyles, we can’t honor God and make Jesus known to others. If we are not intentional about living according to scripture, we will find ourselves tapping our feet to the world’s music almost without realizing it.

We must get in the Word and read scripture daily. We should compare that to what we see around us, or what our own lifestyle reveals. God’s truth is to be our standard for living, and loving Him and others well. 

If you find your toe tapping to something outside of His standard, stop tapping and realign your walk to the way Jesus taught and modeled.

Check out more Beach Lessons here.

Banner Photo by Kristin Hardwick on StockSnap