Go Against the Flow

I once had a T-shirt that I wore until it was thread bear. It had a cartoon depiction of all kinds of vicious-looking fish swimming together in one direction. Just right of center swimming in the opposite direction is the Ichthus or what is known as the Jesus fish, the symbol of Christians. The picture illustrates what Paul is telling us in Romans 12:1-2. Swim with the sharks and go against the flow.

We are urged to become living sacrifices. This sounds serious doesn’t it? If we are Christians, we are holy. That means we are set apart for the Lord. We need to not just “talk the talk, but walk the walk” that is to live our everyday lives in God’s will. In today’s society this is not easy. We become easy targets. But we cannot hide away, we must be willing to become a sacrifice and swim with the sharks and piranha. This is our spiritual act of worship.

Once we have begun to swim in the world’s sea it will difficult not to follow one school of fish or another. It is difficult not to follow the world’s image. Through prayer, worship, bible study, and fellowship with other Christians we can renew our minds, that is, getting rid of old bad habits and focus on those lifestyles that are pleasing to God. We are still swimming along but now we are going against the flow. Now we can truly discover and approve what God’s will is.

We can become radical Christians. I like the idea. Swim with those sharks but go against the flow and learn the will of God.