You’re Not Crazy… The Real Reason Other Christians Treat You Differently

 There are actually several reasons as to why even other Christians will misunderstand you and treat you differently. You see, there are levels of spiritual growth and everyone is a work in progress. So, while we should never be filled with pride or compare ourselves to others, it's important to understand why even fellow believers might misunderstand you or treat you differently. You see, it's one thing when the world rejects you. It's another thing when you feel like the body of Christ is rejecting you. You see, as someone who is all-in, you stand out. And I want to help you understand why it is that you stand out even among other Christians, why they misunderstand you, and how to navigate that in a way that's spiritually healthy.

Now, I want to reiterate this point. This is not a point of pride. It's because of the grace of God. It's because of the power of the Holy Spirit that we make our progress in the spirit. And as we respond in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will see acceleration in our spiritual growth. So all glory belongs to God for the spiritual growth that we experience.

Having said that, it's also true that not everyone responds to the Holy Spirit in the same way. We all have the Holy Spirit, but not everyone is surrendering to the Holy Spirit in the way that they should. And so this sometimes creates a disconnect between you and fellow believers who maybe are clinging to some compromise or maybe aren't surrendering at the pace that you're surrendering. And again, everyone has their own walk with God. Everyone is a work in progress. Everyone's undergoing sanctification.

Neither should we be weird. I'm just going to tell it to you like it is. Sometimes Christians reject Christians because those Christians are being weird. They're just being strange for the sake of strangeness. They don't necessarily connect with people in a way that is normal. And so I'm not suggesting that you should be weird and continue to be weird for the sake of being weird. Look, as believers, we're strange to the world, of course, because we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, because we obey the word of God, because we have a spiritual moral standard based on the nature of God. There are several reasons as to why the world might label us as weird. But then there are some things that we do that are not necessary or they're not even biblical and then we get mad when even fellow Christians reject us for that weirdness. So this is not a license to be weird just for the sake of being weird. I want to make that absolutely clear.

So one of the first reasons as to why you might feel this way or why others might misunderstand you is that as a Christian who is all-in, you live a lifestyle of repentance. In John chapter, we read, "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." Now, to others, this may appear sometimes as what they would call religious. And I want to be clear on this point. We ought not to be legalistic. And by legalistic, I mean that we ought not to think that we ourselves can earn our salvation by the good that we do. Your good works do not save you. So, I'm not talking about legalism. We shouldn't be legalistic.

But see, here's what happens. When a Christian is living that lifestyle of repentance, that is, the moment they recognize that something is not right in their life, they correct it. The moment they see that something is not of the nature of God in their character, they adjust immediately. They go before God, they ask his forgiveness, and then they ask for the help of the Holy Spirit in bringing correction to that area. That lifestyle of repentance, that not allowing things to set in for too long, that sometimes is going to be convicting to other believers who linger in that compromise, who say, "Well, you know, God is dealing with me. At some point, I'll work on this. At some point, I'll respond to his voice. At some point, I'm going to get that right. At some point, I know that I'm going to be doing what God is asking me to do in that area." And that right there is being unresponsive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is not living a lifestyle of repentance. So you're constantly course correcting. And others may look at that and say, "Well, that's just religious." But again, we know that religious is not course correcting. Being religious means that you think you're responsible for your own salvation, which is not the case with you at all.

The second thing you'll notice, or that others will notice in you, is that you protect your purity. This is a big one because this really does cause a lot of tension even amongst fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It shouldn't, but it does. Psalm says this, "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes. I hate the work of them that turn aside. It shall not cleave to me." Now, culture is getting more and more wicked by the day. The movie industry, the music industry, the political complex, all of it, the systems of the world, they become more and more wicked as time goes on. So, of course, we disconnect from the wicked things of this world.

The problem is that many in the body of Christ are partaking of things that technically you might be able to make the argument it's not blatantly sinful, but there are areas of compromise. You're not going to listen to everything that everyone else listens to. You're not going to watch everything that everyone else watches. You're not going to participate in certain conversations. You have a higher standard. And so because of that higher standard, you say, "I don't even—I'm not even going to set any wicked thing before my eyes." In other words, I'm not even going to get near those wicked things. I'm not even going to get near that compromise. And other Christians who are convicted because they're not living according to that biblical standard will take it out on you. And instead of being inspired by your obedience, they will distance themselves from you and say, "Well, you're just taking it too far."

Taking it too far. Think about what they're saying. Did Jesus take it too far when he left his throne in heaven, came to earth as a man, and gave his life as a ransom for many? Was he taking it too far when he bled and died on the cross, suffering for the sins of humanity? Absolutely not. And so, out of reverence for Christ, out of reverence for the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, we raise that standard in our lives. And when you do this, not only do you lose your ungodly friends or your unsaved friends, but even now your lukewarm Christian friends will start to distance themselves from you. Now, this, you have to be careful here because this can obviously be an opportunity for pride. But this is where we have to be careful and recognize the grace of God in our lives. So we're not looking at them and saying, "Well, I'm better than them," but we're looking at them and we're genuinely praying for them, caring about them, not talking down to them just because we're offended that they maybe rejected us or labeled us as strange.

As you protect your purity, you're going to notice that other Christians will be convicted in their compromise. Your standard for purity reveals their lack of standards. And this is where you're going to have to just accept that. Another thing that you do is you evangelize and serve. This is a big one because many Christians, they want to go to church to receive from the word of God. And there's nothing wrong with that. Or they want to go and receive encouragement. Nothing wrong with that. But then the very moment that you ask for help in the church, no one is anywhere to be found. Now, as a Christian who is all-in, you are a part of that remnant who serves.

Other Christians look at you serving and they may say, "You're taking it a little bit too far," or "Do you really have to work that often at the church or do you really have to help that much? Why don't you let somebody else help? Why don't you let someone else give?" And really, again, this is because they're feeling convicted because they're not doing their part in the body of Christ. They'll say, "Why don't you let someone else tithe or why are you giving so much to the church or why are you helping that ministry so much?" Well, it's because you have a heart for the gospel. And others may criticize that—even your evangelism. Maybe they don't like the fact that when you go out you're evangelizing to people or maybe they think it's a little too weird or they don't want to be embarrassed by your evangelism or the fire that you carry.

This sadly, again, I know it should not be the case, but this is sadly the case for many Christians who are living in compromise and they're not really giving God their all like they should be. I'm not saying that they're on their way to hell or that they're not saved by grace through faith. I'm saying that they're struggling, and when you are thriving in the Spirit, that stands as a direct contrast to where they are. Jesus understood this because those who serve—they don't burn out, especially if they're serving by the Spirit. They're filled. They're fulfilled. Look at John es. Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something." But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about."

Did someone bring him food while we were gone? The disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained, "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God who sent me and from finishing his work. You know the saying, four months between planting and harvest, but I say wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest." So here we see that Jesus is talking about spiritual nourishment coming from doing the will of God. Well, that's quite the opposite of what many are claiming today. They complain, "Well, I went to church and they made me volunteer as if volunteering is evil. Well, I went to church and I served in ministry and no one paid me a thing."

Sometimes we serve in church and that is our gift. It's the gift of our time. And so, we have to look at the fulfillment of ministry. We have to look at what serving actually does in the Spirit. When you serve in the Spirit, it doesn't drain you. It nourishes you. Now, I understand that some ministries and organizations take this too far. They beat you over the head and they tell you that if you're not burned out and exhausted and on the verge of collapse, that you're not really giving Jesus your all. Really, when they say, "Pour your life out for Jesus," what they're actually saying is, "Pour your life out for our system." And I get that. I understand that. But again, we have to walk in balance here.

And it is true that we ought to serve. It is true that we ought to give ourselves. And sometimes that's going to be work. Sometimes that's going to make us a little tired. But ultimately, it's going to bring health and nourishment if we do it right. But when you do that, that's going to cause criticism from other believers. So these are things that you're doing. You're living a lifestyle of repentance. You're protecting your purity. You're evangelizing and serving. You're in the Word consistently.

Matthew -. Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the flood waters rise, the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish. Like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.

Now, as you begin to build on the Word, you're taking in the Word daily. You're serious about your devotion to the Word. Others again may complain about that. "Well, you don't have to read that many chapters," or, "Why are you always in the Bible? Why are you always talking Scripture?" And I'm not saying that we can't talk about things that exist in the material world. Of course, we exist in this world. But they ought not to be offended at your passion for the Word. And sometimes they are, because again, it reveals the lack in their own lives.

Now, here's what happens. You build your life on the Word. You start walking according to Scripture. And you're going to see the fruit of that obedience. Stability is going to come to your life. Blessing is going to come to your life. Peace is going to come to your life. There's going to be growth. You're going to have a high spiritual trajectory. And others on the outside looking in may criticize and say, "Well, it must be nice to have all that. Well, I guess you have it good and I have it bad." Or, "Gee, I wonder what you did to deserve those blessings." Not realizing you built your life on the Word.

So don't let them make you feel strange for that—for knowing the Word, loving the Word, talking about the Word. That's something you ought to do. And so I want to balance that by saying if you're just constantly steering every conversation to a theological conversation, then don't be that person. But again, there's nothing wrong with consistently expressing your love for the Word. There's nothing wrong with talking about the Scripture. We as Christians ought to do that.

It's sad that I even have to say this, but I know that there are believers watching this. I know that you're watching this because you've been made to feel different. But I want to affirm you now and let you know there's nothing wrong with that. You're not doing anything wrong by doing that. You're living as a Christian should. And I want to confirm that to you today.

Now, listen. If you think that other Christians need to hear this confirmation, maybe you're sitting there, you're saying, "This is really validating some things in my heart and this is bringing a lot of clarity as to the way that I'm being treated and you think that could help other Christians who could hear this message," then make sure that you leave a like on this teaching right now. By simply leaving a like on this teaching, you're helping to spread this content to more believers who need to hear this message. Also, make sure that you're subscribed to my channel so that you don't miss any of the teachings coming your way. And when you subscribe to my channel, click the notification bell so you don't miss anything.

Another reason why Christians may treat you differently or misunderstand you is that you intentionally surround yourself with others who burn with holy fire. And I'm really going to dig in on something that I think is important here. Corinthians -. Don't be fooled by those who say such things, for bad company corrupts good character. Recognize that the people you're around will affect your spiritual life. Now I know we understand this and we acknowledge this as a truth, a reality, but I think we need to internalize this truth in such a way that it becomes a part of the way that we behave. It's one thing to know that bad company corrupts good character. It's one thing to understand intellectually that the people you're around can affect you. It's another thing to internalize that truth in such a way that you live a lifestyle of—I don't want to say caution because it sounds too fearful—but you live a lifestyle of intentional relationship building, not just connecting with anyone all the time.

Now, I understand that as the body of Christ, we're to be connected. But this doesn't mean that the people closest to you, who you confide in, who pray with you, who understand you at a deeper level, who you spend most your time with, that doesn't mean everyone has to be allowed inside of that. I'll share this with you. This is some information I've given to several. They told me it was helpful. I think it'll help you. I look at my life as a series of concentric circles. So, in the center, the target, that's the Lord. That's time with the precious Holy Spirit. That's time in prayer and the Word and worship. He gets the largest portion of the time. He gets the best portion of the time.

Just outside of that in the next category, picture kind of like a target. On the outer circle I have my wife and my two daughters. They get the second best of all my time and they get more than anyone else does. I make sure that I have date night on Monday nights, family night on Wednesday nights, daddy-daughter date on Fridays, family day on Saturday, and family time on Sunday afternoon after church. Everything else is built around that. And even that family time is built around a prayer and the Word schedule.

Outside of that, then I have my close friends. I have people like you all know, Stephen McKazuma, people you probably don't know. There's my friend Patrick and I got Ruben who you guys know. He's uh he does events. There's Tim Le who does media. There's Jeremy Marquez. There's my brother. There's Isaiah Lopez. These are all people I've mentioned before, but these make up the core of my friendships. Now, outside of that, then there's acquaintances and disciples and people who need time for ministry and prayer. You got to make time for everyone, too. But not everyone has the same level of access.

Nobody has the same level of access as the Holy Spirit has in my life. And next to the Holy Spirit, nobody has the level of access to my life that my wife has. And after her, of course, it's my daughters Arya and Lily and so forth. So, you prioritize and then you distribute your time and intention and emotion and energy and strength according to that scale of prioritization.

Now, as a Christian who is all-in, who doesn't want to compromise, you're saying, "I'm totally focused here." You're very intentional about who you spend time with. And sometimes you may be accused of thinking that you're better than other people. Now, I want to state this clearly: do not apologize for being intentional with your relationships. Don't be manipulated. Don't be made to feel guilty. Don't allow someone to demand something based solely on a title or a position or even blood relation. People earn relationship through respect, through love, through selflessness. And people are filtered in terms of the level of prioritization by how they walk with God.

Now I want to balance this because we also have to understand that there are people who are struggling and this doesn't mean that we just dismiss them and have nothing to do with them. But if they begin to influence you in a way that takes away from your relationship with the Lord, if they begin to influence you in a way that takes you off focus or begins to weaken your commitment to Christ, now it's time to make that separation. Maybe not even completely, but distance them a little. The key difference is this: are you influencing them or are they influencing you? If you're influencing them, then of course spend time with people who are struggling. But if they begin to influence you, you've got to create some distance.

So we don't completely cut people off just because they're struggling. Otherwise, how would they ever get to the place in Christ where they need to be? Think about it. Everybody needs someone who's doing better than they are to help them along in their walk with Christ. So again, this is not a matter of pride or cutting people off. This is just recognizing how to properly steward our time. And when you do this, again, people are going to accuse you of saying, "Hey, you think you're better or you think you're more spiritual or you think you're too good for me." Don't fall for that trap. Don't be moved by emotions or criticisms or people's opinions. Be moved by the Word of God.

Hebrews says, "And let us not neglect our meeting together as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." So togetherness is key, and you recognize that. So you're very intentional about who you have around, and that will offend other people. You can't apologize. I'm telling you now, and I think this may be very validating for many of you. You cannot apologize for guarding your relationship with Christ. You cannot apologize for prioritizing key relationships. You cannot apologize for being intentional about your connections with other people. Don't apologize for it. I rebuke the lies of the enemy. Let go of the guilt. Let go of the shame. Let go of the manipulation. Stop being pressured and begin to focus on what God has called you to focus on.

Another thought I want to share with you is that you have this gratitude for the presence of God. Hebrews says, "Be content with such things as ye have, for he has said, 'I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee.'" In other words, there is this satisfaction, this gratitude that we experience when we are satisfied in the presence of God. And you being satisfied in the presence of God, to others, you may seem to lack drive. To others, you may seem a little disconnected from this world. That's okay. We live a little here and we live a little there. We have our feet in the ground but our spirits connected with the heavenly. And so we live in this—I don't want to call it awkward—but we do live in the tension of the in-between, the spirit and the material, and that's where you live. But you live in this awareness of His presence, where you come to love and know His presence and prioritize His presence.

And to some Christians who are still caught up in just the material, that may be a little bit offensive. That may seem a little weird. And so, it's not that they don't love you. It's not that they dislike you. It's that sometimes they just don't understand that awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit that you walk in. Don't be offended by that. Don't be angry with them for not understanding it. Let them taste the goodness of God through the way that you live. Let them watch you, the way you talk to them, the way you treat them, the way you treat others. Demonstrate the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Other believers will be inspired to live in the way that you live. Other believers will be inspired to disconnect a little bit from this material world and be just that much more connected with the heavenly realm.

When you live in such a way where you're not moved by the criticisms of others, that's when you begin to really see a dynamic shift, and you can focus on the Lord and you see momentum in the realm of the Spirit. So, you're not weird. People don't hate you. They're not rejecting you just because you're you. And I know at times it feels lonely, but stay focused because your life is a testimony. And the way you exist in this world can cause others to be inspired to draw closer to God and to themselves become believers who are all-in.

So yes, be regarded as different. Yes, they may misunderstand you. Yes, they may even distance themselves from you at some moments, but stay focused because your life's making an impact. And as you continue to burn for Jesus, that fire is going to spread. Father, in the name of the precious Lord Jesus, I lift that one to You now who feels rejected by even fellow believers. They feel like they don't belong. They feel strange. They feel lonely and disconnected. Lord, first I pray that You help them to be confident in who they are in You and in who You are in them.

Give them boldness to continue to live a life uncompromised. Give them courage to continue to be all-in. Help them to burn even brighter, demonstrating Your glory. Lord, help them to stay focused. And in the times where they feel lonely, in the times where they feel different, in the times where they feel disconnected because they're all-in for You, I pray that You would encourage them. Remind them that their life is glorifying You and that ultimately You will use their life to inspire even those who regard them as strange.

Thank You, precious Lord, and Holy Spirit, empower them and let them carry Your presence in such a way that people can sense it on them and around them. Let them carry Your presence in such a way that when they walk into rooms, the atmosphere shifts. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray.