Identify and Eliminating Common
Don’t Allow “Common” to Go Undetected
How would you know if “common” found its way into the foundation of your life?
Pamela and I surround ourselves with a diverse group of people. However, the younger ones are the most interesting by far. While we are proud of them for their incredible love for Christ, I’ve seen symptoms of “common” finding its way into their lives. Observing their behaviors exposes the symptoms. For example, they often try to dress like the world around them, common. They use words and language like everyone else, common. Honestly, there are very few differences between them and others their age which lies a problem in the making.
I have become very passionate about what being ordinary does and can do to an individual. With that said, Pamela and I are on a mission, a fight against common, average, and mediocrity. If there are areas in your life, where you find that normal, common, or average have set in, you have been invaded by “common”. “Common” can find its way into your home and eat away at the foundation while never ever noticing, when it goes unchecked.
Sometimes I feel as christians, small ‘c’, we take what the Bible says as just optional advice and as if it doesn’t apply today. There is a reason why one of the greatest leaders of the early church gave this warning. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” [1]
It Is Not Easily Noticed.
Common goes undetected and the damage is done without you noticing it. The problem with being normal is that it goes unnoticed. No one makes any issues out of what’s common to our culture. In fact, we make it the standard. If it is okay with everyone else, we make it okay with us. “Common” continues to deteriorate areas in our lives that we chose to overlook.
“Common” is eating away at our employment and careers.
We work like the world, complaining about our jobs. Not showing up on time. We are okay with using as much sick leave as has been given to us. We are okay with producing the minimum required results.
“Common” is eating away at the family structure.
Our families look like any other family. We don’t get along. We can’t do anything together. Our children don’t respect nor want to be around the adults.
“Common” is eroding our communities.
We don’t interact in our communities by setting examples for future generations. We try to get out of paying our taxes. We get over on the government by lying on tax forms, etc. We teach our children not to respect those in authority. We disrespect the President openly with our words.
“Common” has done a work on most marriages.
Our relationships suffer just like any other average person as we take on their habits.
Taking on the habits of normal people in my book is a sin that creeps in undetected and it is time to turn on your “common” detector.
Removing “common” eliminates the destruction that waits down the road.
“Common” has a way of making God a lower priority in your life.
Did you know a majority treated Easter as casual, making their once-a-year appearance at church service.
The Bible says don’t allow common behavior and normal habits of society to come into your lives. In essence, it says be on the lookout for “common” and remove it.
Here are four actions we can take to eliminate “common”.
- Be aware that it exists.
Understand that there is a danger associated with everything that is normal. Normal will prey on you until you are one in the pack and no different than the rest. - Identify areas infected by common.
It is not enough to know that “common” exists, but when you recognize areas where you have settled for ordinary results, you must be willing to act and change your behavior. - Routinely evaluate your life.
Get help from others. You need someone in your life you are accountable to and can partner with. Left alone, we will miss the things that we have become accustomed to in our life. - Never think you have arrived.
John Gray used these words, “the person who thinks they’ve arrived don’t know that they are lost.” Always be on the lookout for “common”. It is always there and will always need to be controlled.
Ridding yourself of “common” will make you something the world has never seen before. Rather than being like someone else, we are to become something totally unique –something the world has never seen before, a new person.
As a result, here’s what you will see…
You will be more productive in your work. People will notice the work you produce.
Others will look for you to set the trends, not the other way around.
Your children will be unlike the world. They will be respectful, have integrity, and live by the example you set.
You will be okay with being unique, different, set apart, and like Christ.
Even when your political candidate is not in office, you will show your support of the government and the system we the citizens have put into place.
We will infect our communities with the love of Jesus – “uncommon.”
Because ordinary is no longer enough for you, I know you are ready to rid yourselves of what’s making you like everyone else, having the same results as everyone, and living a lifestyle like everyone else. Therefore, I declare that you are going beyond common and welcoming a life that’s no-longer-common. In Jesus’ name.
Question: What “common” traits are eating away at your life?
[1] Romans 12:2 NLT, Bible.com, accessed April 4, 2023, https://www.bible.com/bible/116/ROM.12.2.NLT
All Scripture references used by permission, see our Scripture copyrights.
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