What is that to you?

I remember looking at all the sixth grader's shoes under the cafeteria table across from me during lunch. At the time, I was a lowly fifth grader and I wanted to be just like them. In taking an account of their shoes, nearly every single one of them sported the all-leather, hi-top, Converse All-Star sneakers. All white with red star and trim. I remember begging my mom to get me some, but of course, she wasn't too keen on spending a bunch of money on shoes I would either out-grow or tear through in a couple of months. She was from a post-World War II, post-depression era generation who learned to make do with what they had-- not frivolously waste money on the latest fad.
It was crazy, in order to tow the line of coolness, you had to be just like all the 'cool' kids. I had to look just like them to be accepted. I eventually got my shoes, but I had to go through a pair of canvas Keds to get there.
Fast forward to 2013. Over 17 year of teaching junior and senior high school kids, I've had thousands of students come through my classroom trying so hard to be different, but the truth is, the more they try to be different, the more they look the same. Whether they're punkers, gangstas, taggers, skaters, brainiacs or athletes, they all end up looking pretty much the same as everyone else in their group [with minor variations of course]. I mean, after the first couple of guys got their tribal/barbed wire tattoos around their biceps, everyone else who followed after them was just another entrant in a parade of fools. Wanting so badly to be unique or hard or creative, yet all looking pretty much the same. Where I teach, there's no dress code, but you could almost swear that there was one enforced by the sheer number of kids who are almost identically dressed. Same brand and style of jeans. Same color and size t-shirt. And same brand of shoes. I kiddingly say to them, "I see you wore your uniform today." No joke.
I tell young people, and anyone else for that matter, that if they truly want to stand out in the world, if they really want to be different then they should follow Christ. With the whole world around them being swept, being driven in one direction, nothing will set you apart from everyone else like your love for Jesus, and your conviction to obey God's Word. Not your clothes, your sag, your swag, your slang, your ink, your piercings... nothing.
My oldest son is thirteen. He battles with worrying about what other people think. Especially when we enter public places like crowded restaurants. Imagine what it's like to be thirteen and literally have people staring at you and counting the number of kids in your family as you walk by. You'd be amazed at the number of open-mouthed, gawking adults a family of twelve attracts. What we've tried to tell him is that we are certainly not the norm and that we expect people to stare-- they can't help it. But let's make sure that by the time they're done getting an eyeful that they realize what great kids you are and what a privilege it is to be part of a family like this.
In restaurants, he would choose a seat that faced a wall rather than looking out over the general dining area so he wouldn't have to see the people watching us. But recently, at dinner out one night, he informed us that he didn't care about that anymore. He was over it. Now he was free to sit wherever he wanted. It's amazing the freedom we gain when we care not what the world thinks.
We then become free to do what God would have us do and we care only what He thinks.

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. 

When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, 

what is that to you? You must follow me.”

-- John 21:20-22

 

In other words, don't worry about what anyone else is doing or saying, just do and say what you should as a Child of God. Today, Parker and I shopped for some football cleats. Should he get the ones that wouldn't attract attention, or should he get the ones he really wanted which were a little flashier?

I guess he really has begun to overcome his concerns over what others might think because he got the ones with the blue.