What other lesson can we learn from this story of Noah, the Ark and the Flood? What else can we take away from this story about desolation, destruction, grace and love?
Our first lesson is that Noah was different than his peers. He was "God's man," long before it was fashionable. He followed God's plan, and worked on the ark and preached to the people.
But, isn’t there something just a little exciting about being different?
I am a child of the 60s and 70s, and perhaps part of me is still stuck there. but who really wants to be a conformist all the time? Who wants to be just like everybody else? What a boring world it would be if we were all just alike and thought the same things?
Wouldn’t you rather be a little radical? Not an out of control loose cannon. But wouldn’t you rather be someone who actually stands for something, and will fight for what is right, do the right thing, even when the tide is moving against you?
Noah didn’t conform to the world nor its expectations of him!
If you look at scriptural account, Noah preached this rain thing for 120 years. He stayed the course. I’m sure his family was embarrassed. I’m sure his best buds finally pulled away to join the crowd that was ridiculing him. I am certain that he had a doubt or two along the way. Who wouldn’t? 120 years is a long time to work and wait. But, every morning he got up, and went back to work.
God has called him and us to be different! And I personally think that’s pretty exciting, sort of rebellious in a way, isn’t it?
Part of this great adventure of life and faith to which we have been called is to be different.
How different are you?
Are you different from the people around you? Do people sometimes look at you in a strange way, because you’re not like them? You don’t really think like them. You don't always understand the things they think, and you just don’t get a charge out of the same things that they do.
It makes for kind of an exciting and great adventure, to have people look at you and just not ‘get it.’
If not, then maybe you’re not different enough!
Are you different?
Are you different enough to make a change in our world in a big way?
It takes a lot courage and fortitude to stand against the tide, especially when the forces of that tide are very forceful.
Can you think of a time when you stood against the tide, pushed back against the majority?
What did you feel like when it was over?
[continued...]
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