Stand strong

1 Peter 4:4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;

Living for Christ in an ungodly world brings with it certain challenges. Since coming to Christ most of the places I have worked had certain "extra curricular activity" associated with the culture of the organization that I had to distance myself from in order to walk with Christ in holiness. Such activities are not only associated with certain work places, but even with certain family gatherings, neighborhood gatherings......even when parents get together who's children play little league baseball together. When you voluntarily choose to absent yourself from some of these activities that do not glorify God, that carries with it a certain stigma that tends to brand you in the eyes of all the others. They don't understand why you do not wish to participate in all that they are doing. They look down on you, exclude you, they often talk about you behind your back.

The temptation to compromise can be intense. Stand strong believer and do not let them persuade you to compromise. It can be very tempting to just blend in. It is even easy to justify in your thinking. It starts with just one little compromise here, and another there.....then you look back and discover that you have gone down a path that you never wanted to be on. Remember that when you distance yourself from ungodly things your heavenly Father is pleased with you. Let that be a consolation to your heart when you know that people in the world do not think very highly of you. Live out the joy of your Savior before them. You may just discover that some of them find it interesting that you are full of contentment without some of those things in your life. Your abstention may even be something that they secretly wish they were able to do. And maybe, just maybe, some of them might be attracted to investigate a relationship with Jesus based on your witness.