We’ve all heard the phrase “Why fit in when you were born to stand out.” Some have even used that as an Instagram or Facebook caption with that ‘perfect’ picture to be an influencer. Some are even cringing as they’re reading this because they know that they posted that back in 2015/2016 and are embarrassed— don’t be, it’s all good. My goal in this blog/article is to encourage someone to “not fit in,” but to “stand out” steadfast in Christ.
A few weeks ago, whenever I was asked to write an article for The Azusa Weekly, I had a few ideas come to mind on what to write. And I prayed and thought I had it figured out, until one day as I was driving down the road to work (I have about a 30 minute drive to work through the country, and I’ve driven this road about a trillion times.) I’ve never paid too much attention to the scenery, because once you’ve seen one patch of woods and brush you’ve saw it all.
One particular day I was driving listening to music, thinking about this article I was gonna be writing, which at the time was different. But as I was driving, something caught my eye. I looked, and in the midst of the trees and briars and other brush in the tree line at the edge was a Yucca plant.
Yucca plants are evergreen, perennial shrubs or trees with tough, sword-shaped leaves and have large clusters of white, rounded, bell-shaped flowers on top. In other words, they are some very heavy and very strong plants, and in order for the Yucca plant to grow tall, it has to get ahold and become steadfast. It has to become rooted and grounded in something. The roots cannot sit on top of the ground and then be expected to get the water and nutrients it needs in order to grow. The roots can reach as long as 6 meters (19ft 8.22 inches); some smaller species of the Yucca plants can grow from 2-4 feet, while the larger species can reach as tall as 30 feet.
D.L. Moody once said “It is a great mistake to be looking at obstacles when we have such a God to look at.” Looking at the Yucca plant amongst all the different types of briars, brush and trees— the environment it is in—it would have been easy for the Yucca plant to say, “Oh I can’t do this. There’s no way. This environment around me is nothing that I am use to. There are no other plants like me here. I can’t do it. I am not strong enough.” At times, as Christians striving to be different in this world, it’s very easy to look at the things around us and say the same things; and unfortunately, some do give in to their environment. But here we see that the Yucca plant did not look at the obstacles around it, it said “God put me here to be a reminder that no matter what obstacles I face, no matter what the environment around me is, I can live.”
The Yucca plant was not overwhelmed by the different things around it. The roots of that plant made a way and forged its way through thousands of different roots from the different trees and brush around it. We do not have to be overcome or overwhelmed by the circumstances around us. It’s easy to become discouraged, but we have the power and resources to become firmly rooted and steadfast in Christ.
Steadfast is defined as “being resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.” As Christians, we are told to be steadfast, unmovable in the Lord, not easily uprooted or torn away from our foundation in Christ. Storms will come, the winds will blow, and the rains will fall. If we are rooted and steadfast in Christ, we will not become uprooted, we won’t change directions, we won’t look at the obstacles around us and compare ourselves to those around us and to the environment. We can look at how big and how great our God is and we can stand tall and be a light, different but confident because we are rooted and steadfast in Christ and in His Word.
The Yucca plant said, “I do not care about the problems or the environment around me. Let the winds, the rains, and whatever else the enemy throws my way come, because I am steadfast; I am rooted deep and am sure. The obstacles around me cannot discourage or deter me as long as I remain steadfast in what I know is sure, what has fed me and strengthened me and helped me to grow. Not only am I going to grow, but I’m going to encourage others to become rooted and steadfast where we are ‘planted’ because I am here for a reason. God gave me the strength, He gave me all that I need— soil, sunshine, water, and confidence.”
No matter what you may face in life—the environment around you, the people around you—you can be rooted and steadfast in Christ, becoming unmovable, being different than the environment around you, being a light to those around you. You can be like the Yucca plant and stand tall and proud to be all that God created you to be. Don’t be afraid to be different. Don’t be afraid to trust God and allow Him to strengthen you and help you with whatever situation or environment you find yourself in. Because He wants us to become rooted and grounded in Him. So I encourage you to S.O.S.— STAND OUT STEADFAST!
I Corinthians 15:58a- “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,..”
“You will never have true pleasure or peace or joy or comfort until you have found Christ.” — D.L. Moody
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