Alien-ship

What come to your mind when you heard the word "Alien"? negative or positive? two-big-eyed green weird figure? One-eyed creature? It's interesting to know how the Americans term their visitors and foreigners. They refer them as ALIENS. When I first heard that I have been put on an alien-ship status in America, my mind was directed to negative feeling. I was thinking that the Americans show no respect to the foreigners at all! They like to call everybody else names. However, this is totally a biblical concept! I was reminded that this is our status here on earth. What? Yes, alien does appear in the Bible (well, at least in some versions like NIV :p. Some phrase it as sojourners, temporary residents, or foreigners). It's not the scary figure depicted in the Hollywood movie. In 2 Peter 2:11-12, "¹¹Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. ¹²Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." What does that mean? We are the chosen ones and we are just different from the pagans and the rest of the world. We are not called to compromise to the world values if they are against the biblical teaching. We are not called to live like one who does not know God. We ought to live a life that is pleasing unto God. We are called to live a holy life (a life being set apart) and not yielding to any of our sinful desires. Though the world may laugh at your foolishness or seeing your having different behavior than those in the world, this are the good deeds that you can show to them. And though they may think that you are wrong at doing what you are doing or being who you are in Christ, this are your good deeds to glorify God. However, being different doesn't mean that you reject them as friends. I do think it's vital to accept who they are but rejecting any of their non-biblical values or belief systems. Ultimately they are created in Christ image. As we build good relationships with aliens, we are bridging them to Christ too because you are the little Christ that they see on earth. Appreciate the diversities and differences that God has made!


















So, whenever I need to fill out a form on my status, I am reminded of I too, in the spiritual sense, am alien to this world. Thank God for everything!