Stranger

1 Peter 2:11-12 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live 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.

Non-fat, toffee nut hot chocolate with whip, maple oat nut scone warmed up on a plate with a fork.  The same Starbucks store has seen me walk through its doors at the same time, on the same day, every week for a few years now.  A couple of the regular employees who have taken my order now have my routine down.  I’m not a stranger to this place anymore.

Peter says in this passage we are “aliens and strangers”, this is not a term I normally want to associate myself with at first thought.  As Christians, it makes sense and I comprehend the meaning more clearly.  Our responses to the “normal” of this world make a huge impact on the “pagans” as Peter writes.  Peter wants our good deeds to shine in this world, our reactions to the temptations of sinful desires are seen by more than we may know.  The good deeds that glorify God may not be seen as popular, but they are right and God uses them.  Though we are aliens and strangers in this world, we are never alone when we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

So in worldly terms I am not a stranger at my Starbucks store, but in heavenly terms I am.  I’m ok with that.