Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
-Romans 12:2a (NIV)
I thought it might help to add in the definition of conform. Thank you Dictionary.com!
conform v. to act in accordance with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc. of society or a group.
So, in plain English, this means to “do what other people are doing.” 😀
Now that we’ve figured out what “conform” means, we can move on to the verse itself. This verse says that we shouldn’t do what the world (as in the secular world around us) is doing or wants us to do. We should let God transform our minds, to renew them. When this happens, we are better able to be the people He wants us to be.
Now, a little bit about conforming. We know what it is now, but how do we avoid it?
We avoid conforming by standing up for what’s right and going against the crowd. We read God’s word to know what’s right and what’s wrong.
Just think about the fish in the picture above. Don’t go with the flow. Do what’s right, not what’s “cool,” or, sometimes, what’s “normal.” Only when what’s “normal” is bad, of course. Weird is good.
Challenge: Stand up for what’s right; go against the crowd.
Proverbs 31 Teen 