I'm An Alien--And You May Be Too

REFERENCE: I Peter 2:11-12 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

OBSERVATION:  There are some important insights here that should help us to live the way we ought to in this world.
First: We must remember that we are aliens on this planet. We simply don't belong here. What this world (as President Obama would say) is all "wee-weed up about" should not be our main focus of life. We do not need to live like everyone else--taken by the latest trends and awed by the most outragous celebrities. And we certainly don't need to give into the desires that are a part of this dying planet.
Second: It is important that we realize that sinful desires, lived out, not only offend God but they "war against our souls". We are no longer built to sin and when we live that kind of life it simply grinds us up and wears us out. Our hearts are not built to love God and enjoy "worldly desires" at the same time--it will simply, and literally, drive you crazy to try to live that way.
Thirdly, the world needs to see a people who are different and commited to living differently. We will never change the world by simply being what they are. Our difference constitutes our power to influence. Further, God's way of life simply works best. If we will live as God wants us to, the people around us will see joyful, peaceful, contented and focused people and they will want that kind of life. And "that kind of life" only comes from living apart from "worldly desires". 

APPLICATION/CONFESSION: The "flashing lights" of this world too often get my attention. Even though it may be less than some, I still spend too much time on what the latest celebrity scandal is. I want to truly live like I am an "alien and stranger" here. As Jesus said, I am "in this world" (I can't help that), I just don't want to be "of it".