Then, it happened.  I was sitting in a seminar about work/life balance and the lady speaking dropped a bomb on me.  She said that over 50% of families today are multiple home families (meaning that over 50% of families deal with divorce every day).   Now, I knew that.  But she went on to say that this type of family now represented the norm.  So what about me?  Well, I no longer represent the norm.  I am abnormal.  I had to stop and think about that for a minute.  Me?  Abnormal?  This couldn’t be.  Not after all my efforts.

Now, I have embellished my story a little bit but only to prove a point.  Many of us think of ourselves as normal every day people.  The truth is, we are far from normal.

The scriptures tell us that we are not “normal”

But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
(1Pe 2:9 NASB)

Listen to these words “chosen race”, “royal priesthood”, “holy nation”, “God’s own possession”  With descriptions like this, who wants to be normal?  I’d much rather be in this category that the opposite.  But the status quo is not God’s own possession.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
(Tit 2:11-15 NASB)

See again the words “His own possession”.  Jesus gave everything to make this happen.  Such a sacrifice, do I really want to be normal?

Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. Now in a like exchange--I speak as to children--open wide to us also. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty.
(2Co 6:11-18 NASB)

Here they were instructed, to separate themselves, to be different to be anything but normal.  Why?  Because we can’t agree with the world and agree with God.  We are, as it says, “A temple of the living God”  We must be abnormal and we must want this in our hearts.

Even when it comes to our families we must chose to be different from the norm.  When our family members do not stand for the truth we must be strong.  There are inter-family conflicts that arise, but we must not conflict with God.

Luke 12:51-53 NASB  "Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;  (52)  for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.  (53)  "They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

So, I encourage you to keep being abnormal in as much as God has instructed us through his word to be different from the world and the norms that are established in this world.