In, not of.

Where we come from does not completely define who we are. Neither does where we might find ourselves. The nature of social pressure can indeed affect us, but it does not define us.

For those of us who have been given clear convictions, there comes a responsibility to stay true to those convictions. This responsibility automatically separates us from those who don’t carry similar ones, or those who are seen not holding true to the ones they carry.

We’re going to find ourselves often surrounded by those who are different from us. We’re going to find ourselves in a world that differs from what we believe is right or true. In these moments we have to remember that while we might be in this world, we are not of this world.

We do not have to subscribe to the assumptions, perspectives, or convictions, that others have. Learning them, of course, is good and leads to awareness, learning, and sharpening. But the convictions we’ve been given are the priority. They are the gift.