Sometimes It Is Hard To See The Difference


Jeremy Young


The coral snake’s venom is among the deadliest known to man. However, because of the size of the snake’s head and mouth, bites from this snake are rare, and, when they occur, death only ensues about 10% of the time, due to the lack of venom that is released in the bite. The coral snake is known for its red/yellow/black bands around its body. There are other snakes that look very similar to this that are not venomous at all – like the scarlet king snake and milk snake. They have bands that go yellow/red/black. This both hurts and helps the snakes that are similar to the coral snake. It helps them in nature because their coloring is a warning to predators, but man, who may not recognize the difference, may kill a milk snake thinking it is a coral snake. Over the years, a little rhyme was invented to help people tell the difference between the two: “Red and yellow will kill a fellow, but red and black venom lack.”


I write all of this to illustrate a point. So many Christians today want to blend in with their peers. They do not want to stand out, and they certainly do not want anyone to see a difference between them and the world. However, Peter tells us that we are to live as a chosen people, rejected by men, and built up into Christ (1 Peter 2:4, 5, 9-12). The Bible makes it clear that the world should be able to see a difference between them (Galatians 5:17-21) and us (Galatians 5:22, 23)! So when the world looks at us, we ought not blend in, but we ought to stick out like a sore thumb! (Philippians 2:15; Titus 2:14) 


It is hard to “turn the world upside down” when you are exactly the same as everyone in it. (Acts 17:6) We need to start living in such a way that people know we are people of God. We cannot be ashamed of being Christians. Yes, we will be ridiculed for our stands and called names or perhaps worse, but this is exactly what true Christians who are living godly ought to expect. “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12. 


If there is little difference between the way we live and the way the ungodly live, we must realize that there will be little difference in our destinies after this life. We cannot live riding the fence; we must choose a side – God’s or Satan’s. (Joshua 24:15)


When people see us, they should not say, “It is hard to see the difference.” -Rt 2 Box 207-C, Red House, WV 25168.


Return to West Virginia Christian