Some people don't mind standing out from the crowd - but for most people I guess that the preferred option is to blend in. A couple of days ago I was doing a workshop with a Year 6 class helping them to prepare for their transition from primary school to secondary school. One of the worries that they had was 'being different'.
Being a follower of Jesus will require us to stand out from the crowd at times.
In our series in Daniel we've reached chapter 3. This is the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the Fiery Furnace. King Nebuchadnezzar has built a statue and expects everyone to bow down and worship it. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego will only worship their God - whatever the cost.
Many of us might be tempted to fold at the first hurdle - there we are on the plain and the music plays and suddenly everyone else bows down to the ground, and there we are standing up and standing out.
But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, along with Daniel, had long ago learnt to say 'no' to things that meant worshipping or serving anything or anyone other than their God. Whenever we start a new school, a new class, a new college, a new job etc we need to make sure that we start the way we mean to continue. Standing out as being different is never going to be easy, but it is easier when we have got into the habit of taking a stand.
