Has anyone ever looked at the way you pray, give, serve or speak and thought, “You are out of your mind”? If so, you might be closer to the heart of God than you think. Jesus calls His followers to be peculiar people: different, set apart and full of a power the world cannot explain.
Peculiar people are not odd for the sake of being odd. They are the ones who show up when hope seems lost, who turn impossible situations around through faith and prayer, and who bring the kindness and mercy of Jesus wherever they go. Maybe you have had someone like that in your life: a person who lifted you, counseled you, challenged you, served you or prayed for you, and it changed everything.
This post comes from Peculiar People, the first message in our summer series The Seven Habits of Jesus People. It was shared on Father’s Day, so you will find a few words for dads along the way. The goal of the whole series is simple: let’s be Jesus people.
If you only have a minute:
- Peculiar means set apart. In the biblical sense, it means distinct and belonging to God.
- The first Jesus people looked out of their minds. At Pentecost, some in the crowd said they had too much wine.
- Peculiar people bring the average up. In every room, family, classroom and job site.
- The secret is the Holy Spirit. Habits matter, but His power is what makes a Jesus person a Jesus person.
What does it mean to be peculiar?
“Peculiar” is not just about being strange. In the biblical sense, peculiar means set apart, distinct and belonging to God. Peculiar people live in a way that makes others stop and stare, and sometimes they are misunderstood or even mocked for it.
Later in this series, the message offered another word for it: powerful. Because peculiar people walk as Jesus walked, they are full of power to overcome and power to help others overcome.
Jesus people change the world around them
Jesus people are empowered by God to transform the world around them:
- Lost and broken people are changed from death to life.
- Outcomes that look impossible suddenly become possible.
- When all hope seems lost, they come in and, through faith and prayer, turn the world upside down.
- When people are hungry, homeless, widowed or orphaned, Jesus people show up and make the difference.
- They carry the power of the Holy Spirit with them, so wherever a Jesus person goes, hope goes too.
The day the first peculiar people were born
The Book of Acts tells the story of how Jesus birthed the church through people like Peter, Paul, Lydia, Barnabas, Priscilla, Timothy and Tabitha. Two thousand years later, we are still living in the current of the river God started in them.
The church began on the Day of Pentecost, also called the Festival of Weeks or Shavuot. It came 50 days after Passover and was one of three pilgrimage festivals, so Jerusalem was packed with people from all over the world. That day the Holy Spirit filled Jesus’ followers, and they began declaring the wonders of God in languages they had never learned. Everyone heard them in their own native language.
“Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’ Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’” (Acts 2:12-13)
There it is. Something was so peculiar about these Jesus people that the crowd thought they were drunk, out of their minds. Has anyone ever thought the same about you? If not, this series is for you.
Peculiar people bring the average up
Jim Rohn, a well known voice in personal development, is famous for saying, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” The people around you change everything, and the Bible said it first:
“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33)
We turned that truth into a familiar saying: one bad apple ruins the bunch. Put it together and there may be people in our circle who bring the average down, including us. This series is meant to help you become the kind of person who brings the average up in every circle you run in:
- Peculiar dads bring the family up.
- Peculiar teachers bring the classroom up.
- Peculiar neighbors bring the neighborhood up.
- Peculiar employees bring the job site up.
So ask yourself this question, at the beginning of the series and at the end: when I enter the room, do I bring the average up or down?
3 things peculiar people do
Here is a taste of what peculiar people do when they practice the habits of Jesus people. These are the kinds of things that make people think you are out of your mind.
1. They forgive and don’t hold it against you
Regular people say, “I forgive you.” Peculiar people say, “I forgive you, and I won’t hold this against you.”
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Our forgiveness should not be human forgiveness but godly forgiveness, and God forgives and forgets. Love “keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Peculiar people don’t hold grudges.
2. They repent until they change
Regular people say, “I’m sorry.” Peculiar people say, “I’m sorry, and here is the change I’m making.”
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)
A good parent does not just want their kids to feel sorry. They want them to change, for their own sake. How much more does our God? He doesn’t want our sorrow. He wants our transformation. Dads, apologizing to your kids is great. Showing them you can make a change is even greater.
3. They pray and then they act
Regular people say, “I’ll pray for you.” Peculiar people say, “I’m going to pray for you, and do whatever God tells me to help you.”
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16)
Please do pray. We need the power of God in every situation, and He alone is able. But also act. Saying “Let me know if there’s anything you need” puts the weight on the person who is hurting. Take the lead instead: pray, and do what God shows you. Peculiar people don’t do pleasantries. They do acts of kindness.
What this means for you
Pick one of these three this week. Forgive someone and refuse to hold it against them. Make a real change, not just an apology. Or pray for someone and then do the next thing God shows you to help. And before you walk into your next room, ask: will I bring the average up?
The secret of peculiar people: the Holy Spirit
Go back to Acts 2. At the very first church gathering, the very first invitation to follow Jesus, about 3,000 people believed.
“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:41)
That is the kind of miraculous work Jesus people do. But they could not lead 3,000 people to Jesus in one day with habits alone. You can’t forgive, repent and serve others well without the one thing that makes a Jesus person a Jesus person: the Holy Spirit.
The power of God given to us through the Holy Spirit is the one necessary element for any person to have a real, lasting, positive effect on others. If you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, Jesus people spend time with the Holy Spirit, and their average goes way up.
Dads, one of the greatest gifts we could give you is this: you can father your household with the Holy Spirit leading you in every decision, every moment of teaching and discipline and every expression of tender love. You are empowered to be peculiar. And that goes for all of us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may people look at you and say, “You are out of your mind.” And may you smile and say, “Yup.”
The next habit in this series is about God’s Word. Read how to apply the Bible to your life, and if you are wondering where to start with Jesus, read what it really means to follow Jesus. You can read the full story of Pentecost in Acts 2 on Bible Gateway.
Wherever you are today, there is a next step. If you want to know more about who Jesus is, start here. If you need someone to pray with you, reach out to our prayer and care team. And if you live near Kissimmee, Florida, we would love to see you on a Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peculiar People
What does it mean to be peculiar as a Christian?
In the biblical sense, peculiar means set apart, distinct and belonging to God. Peculiar people live so differently, full of forgiveness, love and faith, that others notice.
Why did people think the first disciples were drunk?
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled Jesus’ followers and they declared the wonders of God in other languages. Some in the crowd “made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine’” (Acts 2:13).
Do I have to act weird to be peculiar?
No. Being peculiar is not about being strange for attention. It is about forgiving, repenting and helping people in ways that only make sense because of Jesus.
How can I be a peculiar person?
Start by asking whether you bring the average up or down when you enter a room. Then lean on the Holy Spirit, because His power, not willpower, is what makes peculiar people different.
