Shaped by the master craftsman
To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect. (Romans 12:2) When one 'conforms', they will become similar in form, nature, or character to that which they are seeing modeled. Behavior is most often 'modeled' before it is anything we 'conform' to, isn't it? For example, you may not even consider having an ice cream cone until you see everyone along the boardwalk happily warding off the heat of the day with their favorite scoops. They became the 'models' of the behavior you are about to conform to - obtaining a cone of your own delightfully rich scoops! The ice cream example is tame compared to some of the things modeled for us today - things that we may not exa