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“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:11).
As I write this in the country of Australia in February, 2023, I am constantly reminded that I am a stranger here. Although Australia is a modern country, many things are different from Canada, where I normally live. For one thing, here in Australia they drive on the left side of the road, while in Canada we drive on the right. Here in Australia most houses are built of brick and concrete, while in Canada there are many houses built of wood. Here in Australia the trees, flowers, and other plants are also different from Canada, although some are similar.
As Christians we are also strangers in this world, for we do not really belong here. Heaven is our home, and the whole course of things in this world is “foreign” to a true Christian. We do not really “fit in,” for we do not live the same way as worldly people do.
However, we are also pilgrims. A pilgrim is one who is in a strange land, but who is going somewhere for a real purpose. He is not moving about aimlessly, but has a goal before him. You and I, as Christians, are here for a purpose, and we also have a goal before us. We are not expecting to be here indefinitely, for we are waiting for the Lord to call us home. Also, we are here to live for the glory of Christ, and to be like Him, for a testimony to this world. So we are both strangers and pilgrims, and we should not be ashamed of this. We are not to be strange or weird, but the world around us should recognize that we are different from them.
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