Ditchin' the Crowds

The religion of this world is conformity. That being said, it's sometimes hard living as a 24 year old gal trying to find my place. I obviously don't want to be an oddball, but I want to make informed, wise decisions to pave a strong foundation for my life.

I want to be my own person and follow God's call wherever He leads no matter how silly I may look to others. But frankly, when we look closer at "normality" in todays society - they're often the silly ones.

Schools of fish swimming in the ocean are a prime example of this nonsense. Who is leading them? Do they know who they're following or where they're headed? A few years ago, a group of scientists did a lobotomy on a fish. That's right - they literally took out his brain. Even without his brain, he was still somehow able to swim perfectly fine, but his instincts to follow other fish were removed.

They put him back into the ocean to track his actions. He didn't follow any crowds of fish, he swam anywhere he pleased. But here's the kicker - instead of the schools of fish leaving him in the dust, they started following him! The one missing a brain!

Sounds a lot like todays world, doesn't it? (for proof, visit any middle school) The people we find ourselves copying are often the ones with the least sense. Interesting, too, how fish in the ocean are caught in large groups.

When a fishing boat goes out to catch fresh salmon or cod or tilapia, they catch hundreds of fish grouped together with a net (think Finding Nemo).

I don't want to be caught in a school of fish. I want to be exploring the ocean, on my own, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide my adventure. Once we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we are freed from the chains of conforming to the world. We are no longer living for this world, but for Heaven.

We need to stop and analyze who is leading us and where we are going. Are those late nights of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills going to help or hurt us? Is "going out" actually wise? Do we have to have a boyfriend at all times - how about being single for a while?

Don't follow a brain-less fish. You might end up in a mess just like the millions of fish in large groups getting caught in the ocean as we speak.