Trying to Fit In?

Vivian sat on the patio of her parents’ magnificent house, looking so forlorn and dejected; it was her birthday and she’d pulled out all the stops to have a talk-ofthe-town “sweet-sixteen” party. For the first time in many years, she’d decided not to celebrate with the ‘regular’ kids as she’d always done. Instead, she invited the “Slay Queens,” a popular group of girls well-known in school for their trendy clothes, flashy phones, and snobbish attitude. She desperately wanted to be one of them, and so to impress them, she invited them to her exclusive birthday party. But, to her utter disappointment, her invitation was snubbed by every single one of them, and she was left alone and miserable on her birthday.

Today, there are many teenagers like Vivian whose aspiration is to fit in with and be a part of the “in crowd”; they want to show off, impress others, and be famous. These are generally acceptable objectives in today’s world, but as a child of God, you’ve got to remember that you’re not of the world, and shouldn’t conform to its standards.

Understand that being successful is not about trying to be like or please others, but discovering God’s purpose for your life, and bringing out the best in you to fulfill that purpose. That’s what true success is. To have and enjoy good success, you must have a clear understanding of the motives behind your actions. You must know why you do the things you do. The Gospel of Jesus Christ should be paramount in your heart. If you truly want to live a fulfilled life, have meaningful relationships with others, and enjoy good success, focus your attention on pleasing the Lord and living up to His expectations.