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As he was drilling a batch of recruits, the sergeant saw that one of them was marching out of step. Walking up next to the man as they marched, he said sarcastically: "Do you know they are all out of step except you?" 

"What?" asked the recruit innocently. 

"I said -- they are all out of step except you!" thundered the sergeant. 

The recruit replied, "Well, sarge, you're in charge -- you tell them!" 

I understand how that recruit felt because there are times that we as Christians look around at the world and we are out of step with everyone else. As we walk with Christ and live by the Spirit, that causes us to say and do things that are very different from what the world does. Everyone else seems to be agreed on how to walk, but we are out of step. 

We may be tempted to think (like the sergeant above) that we are the ones who need to change to get in step with everyone else. But (like the recruit above) we aren't the ones who need to change. And we need to continue to walk in step with the Spirit regardless of how those around us walk.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." (Eph. 5:8)

"Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you." (I Peter 4:4, NLT)

"He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." (I John 2:6)

If you feel like you're out of step with the world, don't let it bother you. Just make sure you're in step with God. 

-alan smith