I walked outside my house the other day in the late evening. It was dark outside. I live in Utah along the foothills of Mount Timpanogos. During the summertime, people will venture up on the mountains. There are several ways to get up there. This particular night, I looked straight at the mountains from my porch. Straight ahead of me, I could see two moving lights high up on the mountain. I sat and watched them for a bit as they moved back and forth across the mountain. To me, it looked as though they were finding a way down the mountain. I knew they were on the mountain because they were high above the houses, but not so high they would have been in the sky. I wondered if they were hikers with bright flashlights or vehicles (trucks, jeeps, razors) that had navigated some crazy steep trail on the front of the mountain. Either way, I was captivated by them for a few minutes.
When I think about it. It is amazing how easily a small light stands out in darkness. You see it. You know it is different than everything around it. It has some glory and wonder about it. If your light is like a candle and it shines in darkness, those around you will see and notice it.
I love President Nelson’s optimism. During a youth devotional in 2019, he encouraged the youth to stand out and be different. Look, sound, act, and dress like a disciple of Jesus Christ. That is an incredibly powerful challenge. And it isn’t just for kids. I have had these thoughts in my own workplace. I should look, sound, act, and dress to match the example I want to be known for. And that example is a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Even in my old age (I’m in my 50’s) I still feel the influence of peer pressure and fitting in. Not only that, I can easily make mistakes if I don’t actively try to do my best. It might be letting a bad word slip from my lips or laughing at an off-color joke. They all know I am different and they make a big deal about it all the time. They may be talking about a movie and say, Michael, it’s an excellent movie, but this one isn’t for you. Or, it isn’t one you shouldn’t watch.
I find myself very motivated by these statements by President Nelson:
- President Nelson invited us all to “stand out; be different from the world.”
- President Nelson said, “Embrace being different!”
- “Therefore, the Lord needs you to look like, sound like, act like, and dress like a true disciple of Jesus Christ,” said President Nelson.
- “And if you are sometimes called ‘weird,’ wear that distinction as a badge of honor and be happy that your light is shining brightly in this ever-darkening world!” said President Nelson.
- You were born to stand out. You have a brilliant purpose.