The second-century Letter to Diognetus described the Christians’ lifestyle in the following way:
‘They live in their own countries, but only as aliens. They have a share in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland, and yet for them every fatherland is a foreign land … It is true that they are “in the flesh”, but they do not live “according to the flesh”.
‘They busy themselves on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws, but in their own lives they go far beyond what the laws require … They are poor, and yet they make many rich … Christians dwell in the world, but are not of the world.’
Lord, keep us from rebelling against the Spirit of God. Help us to be
‘in the world’ but not ‘of the world’. As we mingle with those outside
of the church and are immersed in our culture, help us not to adopt its
customs or worship its idols. Help us to resist these temptations and
experience your ‘perfect peace’.