01/24/2026
If merely being a nice guy were the goal of Christianity, I would never have become one, at least not a real one. Honestly, before I came to faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, I was a pretty nice guy.
I was never a criminal or even a mean person. I was a hard worker and appreciated at every job I ever had, including the US Navy where I served honorably for four years.
Before Jesus began changing me from the inside out, I was a devoted Chameleon, blending in with the environment where I was. Finding myself in a variety of environments, I became masterful at changing.
Coming to faith in Jesus Christ was challenging; as I said, He, too was very much into changing me, but not in the ways I had adopted. He wasn't trying to conform me to my surroundings so I would fit in; to the contrary, He was transforming me so as to make me stand out against the backdrop of the world.
Though I am still tempted to conform for acceptance, I find His Spirit helping me to resist that. Thankfully, I learned long ago that I can't please everyone. I can't even please God ALL the time, but I am loved anyway because He is merciful.
I endeavor to live by truth and let the chips fall where they will. When people reject me, it still hurts, but it is bearable knowing I am "accepted in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6).
Please don't just act like a Christian, BE one, a real follower of the Lord Jesus! It is liberating beyond words. Dane Tyner