Square Peg, Round Hole
Finding your identity when you don’t fit in
It was the first day of a new Bible Study and I was excited to get started. As the class began, the teacher asked us to introduce ourselves, share what we hoped to learn from this study, and tell everyone how long we had been a Christian.
The introductions began and each student shared their story of walking with Christ for 20 years, 30 years, and, “it’s been so long, I have lost count of the years.” As I listened to these stories of growing up in the church, I began to panic. What was I going to say when it was my turn to speak? I couldn’t tell the truth, what would they think?
The time came – I was on stage and all eyes were on me. I shared my name, something I hoped to learn, and then said, “I guess that’s about it.” Yep, I just conveniently pretended to forget about that last request. I felt out of place and I let fear keep me from sharing the truth that I came to Christ in my 40’s and had only been a believer for 6 short years. In that moment, Satan whispered in my ear, “You don’t belong here, this class is for real Christians, not for people like you.”
Have you ever been overwhelmed with the uncomfortable feeling of being an outsider? We have all likely found ourselves in situations where we felt like we didn’t belong. Therefore, when we read the story of Ruth, we can’t help but sympathize with how she must have felt as an outsider in a strange new land.
So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning. -Ruth 1:22 ESV
Ruth was a widow from Moab whose loyalty to her mother in law, Naomi, compelled her to return to Naomi’s home in Bethlehem where Ruth was a foreigner from a despised people. She didn’t belong. If she would have listened to the whispered words of the women when she arrived in town, she would have turned and headed back home feeling foolish and empty.
Ruth may have heard the insults and whispered words from the women of Bethlehem who viewed her as an outcast, but she did not give up. Instead, she chose to trust in the Lord as she continued to put one foot in front of the other, working to provide and care for her mother-in-law. She was rewarded for her faithfulness and loyalty as she was redeemed by Boaz and ultimately became the great grandmother of King David.
Sometimes God does not want us to “fit in.” He wants us to be uncomfortable so that we will rely on Him and prove faithful in the things that He is calling us to do. When we measure our worth by how well we fit in with a certain crowd, we miss our opportunity to embrace our unique identity in Christ.
Even though I felt out of place at first, I continued to go to that Bible study. Like Ruth, I didn’t give up because I felt like an outsider; Instead I remained faithful in studying God’s word with those long time Christians. It turned out that they were more like me than I thought on that first day and I learned so much from them as we studied together. When God calls us into situations where we feel uncomfortable, He is giving us opportunities to grow.
Finding our true identity in Christ requires us to embrace these times of growth by remaining faithful even when we feel out of place. So, take a step outside of your comfort zone and be open to the promise that God is making you into a new creation.
Reflection
1. Do you remember a time when you felt like an outsider? Were you able to overcome the feeling of not fitting in?
2. Have you ever fallen into the trap of trying to fit in where you didn’t belong? How did this change you?
3. What might God be revealing to you about yourself in these uncomfortable situations?
Goals
Share 3 ways that you can encourage others to stay faithful in uncomfortable situations:
So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning. (Ruth 1:22 ESV)
So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” (Ruth 1:19 ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. Behold, the old has passed away; the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)