I like chameleons. As a child my brother and I used to catch these beautiful creatures and put different colored leaves and branches in the jar to see how many colors we could force the chameleon to become. We, of course, would set it free. (Disclaimer: No harm came to the chameleon during this project!). : )
Chameleons have this incredible ability to avoid danger by becoming the color of whatever is around them – a tree branch, leaf, rock – and because of this adaptation ability, the chameleon survives.
I often wonder how many times as Christians we change colors to “fit in” or “belong.” How often do we justify our actions by exclaiming, “People would just find me too weird?” Social settings, the work environment, school cafeteria, parties, we tend to put God aside so that we do not stand-out, so that we are not different. Business deals are business deals – money is money – and we discard what we know to be Biblical with the simple notion that what we are doing is best for the company. We are kind and thoughtful to strangers, but mutilate our spouse the moment we pull into the drive-way. We are critical of others around our children or use harsh words to our children setting the example that acting one way in public and one way at home is acceptable.
God calls us to a much higher standard. Believe me, if He had wanted you and me to be chameleons, we’d be chameleons. Defending God, standing firm on what is right, choosing to act one way when others go another, is difficult. But isn’t that what Jesus did when He came to earth to save us? Every day you make decisions to act one way or another. Choose the Biblical way to respond.
Let chameleons be chameleons.
