Not A Dead Fish

Well I changed the name of this blog, my social media handles, and even my email signature, to 

Not A Dead Fish 

I had made a list of potential blog names - ten different ideas - and out of the top three I liked the most, this one kept jumping out at me (kinda like a fish jumps around out of water before it dies) so it's what I decided to go with.

The meaning behind it: 

Perhaps you've heard the phrase "only dead fish go with the flow". I suppose the origins of it point to the fact that salmon and other kinds of fish swim upstream to get back the place where they were born after their time in the ocean. Swimming upstream is obviously more difficult than swimming downstream, since the fish have to fight against the river currents as opposed to just letting it carry them along. 

For a Christian, this is an analogy of not conforming to the world, in that we're not doing what 'everyone else' is doing such as fashion trends, media hype, and current world thinking. Instead, our direction comes from Christ, who calls us his "peculiar people". Not everything that those around us are doing is wrong. However if we're doing it to 'fit in' then that's for the wrong reason. We are strangers in this world seeking a better country. We are meant to be different. 

I want to embrace this separation from the world. I don't want to be a dead fish floating aimlessly down the river with no purpose, no guidance, no convictions. I want there to be life in me - the life blood of the one who died for me on Calvary running through my veins, his love and grace showing in my actions, and his peace reigning over my heart.

So will you join me? What the future has in store I don't know, but "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14) and one thing I do know - Jesus is holding my hand.

Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

1 Peter 2:9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;"