Have you ever noticed how culture caters to individuality but rarely celebrates what is different? In a world where everything can be customized, there’s still constant pressure to look, speak, and act like everyone around us. When we live in relationship with Jesus, we’re called to be peculiar. But what does that mean? Peculiar is “strange, odd, unusual, distinctive in nature or character from others.” When we choose to be peculiar, our character no longer aligns with the character of culture. We do friendships, marriage, breakups, and singleness in a different way. Our standards for all aspects of life begin to align with Kingdom. With Jesus, every season is a wild adventure. It’s spiritual identity that separates us from the rest. With that said, living a peculiar life is not easy. When we step into the truth, society will lie about us, trying to bring us back into conformity. But remember, only dead fish go with the flow.

Be peculiar. Regular is already taken.

1. Value vision over fantasy‍‍

We grew up with Disney movies and fairytales as our reference for dating. However, we didn’t know that would give us a wrong idea of what being single looks like, let alone a healthy, Godly relationship. As we grow older, pornography becomes another reference for dating and marriage. It presents a false idea of intimacy and hurts the peculiar part of you. These references can create frustration when we don’t get what we expect, but God desires we let go of these references and focus on his plan for us.

2.  Choose wisdom over experience

The world may value life experience as the highest form of qualification, however, as Christians we know that wisdom from God holds eternal value. This is one thing that makes us peculiar—our ability to submit first to the sovereign wisdom of God. We can rest assured knowing that even if our worldly life experience is lacking, if we live in truth God will give us everything we need to succeed.  

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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  Proverbs 9:10

Historically, being marked-out as strange and odd is not something we generally would like to be known for. Uncommon people are usually unpopular in our society. Who wants to feel like “the” unpopular person? Typically, no one. Though this may be the world’s perspective, God calls us to be peculiar. Not so that we may be disliked and the “outcast” rather to stand out with a revelation of who God created us to be. We’re not meant to follow the culture of this world but set the culture of the world by knowing who we are in Jesus. We are peculiar, we know who we are, we are complete in Him.