Standing Out, What Makes Me Different | Teen Ink

Standing Out, What Makes Me Different

February 8, 2010
By LeannaRose SILVER, Moreno Valley, California
LeannaRose SILVER, Moreno Valley, California
5 articles 6 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you learn to appreciate them when they're right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself...and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.


I walk through the doors of my high school as I watch hundreds of kids pass by. Millions of teenagers just like me nationwide attend school as well, so what makes me so special? What am I doing to stand out? I would hope the answer is obvious to those who know me. I smile every time I am recognized as the Christian girl, so innocent and outspoken. It is an accomplishment to know I do not have to tell someone how I stand because my actions are speaking for me. I attend the Bible study at my school, and Church regularly. I stand out from the crowd by saying no to the simplest things. My peers may say im “too innocent” because I choose not to cuss, “try” alcohol, or go too far with a boy. However, I know I am not a saint. I make mistakes, sometimes I make the wrong decisions, I get mad and frustrated and slip a few words I should not have, but that is what makes me human. No one is perfect, that is exactly why I turn to God to save me of my sins.
What makes Christianity different from so many other religions? Christianity is the only religion that teaches you cannot earn your way to heaven. The Bible states, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one can get to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).” Many believe you can get to heaven simply from your good works. Well consider this, the Bible says everyone will face Him after death to be judged (2 Corinthians 5:10), if you were standing before God how would you prove you deserve to be in heaven? Let us say He told you to get into heaven you needed 1,000 points. You might say, “Well I did help my mom clean the kitchen once without her telling me to.” However, keep in mind that God is omniscient, which means He is all knowing. In response He might say, “Alright there’s one, but you also hit your brother the same day.” Really, there is no way that you can end up getting those points because everyone has many more negative thoughts and actions than they do good ones. That is why Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again. God sent Him to give His life to pay the debt of our sins.
There may be those who do not believe in God in general. How do you explain the universe? If you argue with the big bang theory, I ask what made those molecules that collided? The Bible says, “Since what may be known about God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–His eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Romans 1:19-20).”
Christianity is more than a religion; it is a relationship with God through prayer, and reading His word, the Bible; it is not a label, it is a lifestyle. For so many who question the meaning of life, it is to glorify God in what we do, to give to Him what he gave to us (life). Earth is only temporary; I do believe there is an afterlife because the Bible tells us so (2 Corinthians 5:10). Everyone will have life after death, the question is where you will spend it, heaven, or hell, there is no in-between. We are on earth now because God has given us a choice to follow Him or not. You cannot force love, so He gives us the option to surrender to Him or surrender to sin, the many temptations we face every day.
The bell rings, marking the end of another day. I walk through the crowd my head held high, my face glowing with joy as if I am the light shining. Heads turn and people ask, “What does that girl have that makes her different? How does she smile, when so many things go wrong?”



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This article has 96 comments.


on Apr. 1 2010 at 8:30 am
tennisplayergirl GOLD, Arrington, Virginia
10 articles 0 photos 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
"He who will not risk cannot win." John Paul Jones

I'm the same as you! I'm an atheist but I believe that some Buddhist methods are very beneficial.

on Mar. 31 2010 at 1:51 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Homo homini lupus"

i'm not trying to be mean or controversial or something but i find it hard to be tolerant to people who preach to me and try to make me see that their religion is the best. i respect anyone's religion but i don't need to be converted!

on Mar. 31 2010 at 1:45 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Homo homini lupus"

i don't think the two are the same in essence. and while i understand why people believe in christianity, islam, judaism, all the other religions, i'm not actually a believer of god or gods. so i'm not going to argue with you on any of that.

on Mar. 29 2010 at 6:21 pm
LeannaRose SILVER, Moreno Valley, California
5 articles 6 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you learn to appreciate them when they're right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself...and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

yes completely! thanks for the support! :)

TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 29 2010 at 1:45 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

That's the exact same thing. Whether you do it to make up for past mistakes or just because it's good, you're still working your way into heaven or paradise or whatever. When you're a Christian, yeah you still do good things, but because you want to, not because you have to. Jesus paid the price for everyone, any color any race anyone and everyone, to go to heaven when He died on the cross. Simply because He loves us. He didn't have to. He could have called 10,000 angels to take Him off the cross, but He didn't. How many times has anyone offered to die for you, and take your punishment? Never in my lifetime. Jesus is God. He raised Himself from the dead. And all we have to do is repent of our sins (bad deeds) and believe that He is God, and you will go to Heaven. There's no point system and there is no scale in Heaven to weigh your good and bad deeds.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.


on Mar. 29 2010 at 1:13 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

in my view the two, getting points and doing good or bad deeds, aren't the same thing. in Islam there's emphasis that you can't go "okay i cheated on my wife so today i have to give to the poor", you have to do good things just because they're good. THEN you're going to heaven. but as I said i'm an atheist and i'm only pointing out.

TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 25 2010 at 7:51 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

You just said you don't get points. But then directly after you said your good and bad deeds "are weighed" after death. Aren't you contradicting yourself?

on Mar. 24 2010 at 7:47 pm
Destinee BRONZE, Oakville, Other
3 articles 0 photos 303 comments

Favorite Quote:
Blegh. - Abraham Lincoln

Well, I don't really think that we do more negative things than positive things. In Islam, for instance, even moving a rock out of someone's path (to prevent them from having difficult) is a good deed. Also, God multiplies good deeds whilst bad deeds only count for one.

Having said that, God is the Most Merciful and the Forgiving, and without Him, it is impossible to get into heaven. He judges all of our deeds, and He knows in the end whether we deserve heaven or hell.

On an unrelated note: people think the same thing about me. It's rather disorienting having people think you're innocent.

Jingmei BRONZE said...
on Mar. 16 2010 at 12:03 pm
Jingmei BRONZE, Lincoln Park, New Jersey
4 articles 0 photos 13 comments
I totally agree.
People keep thinking that we're just crazy religious people. We're not. We've just been caught by the crazy love of Christ for us, all that He has done for us!
God bless you, and keep shining for Him. Hope to see you someday home =)

GrammieFan said...
on Mar. 13 2010 at 8:36 pm
You have glowed with love from within from the day you were born. I am so proud of you, who you are and who you are becomming. You make my heart smile. Keep glowing, and inspiring those around you.

on Feb. 17 2010 at 8:22 pm
LeannaRose SILVER, Moreno Valley, California
5 articles 6 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you learn to appreciate them when they&#039;re right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself...and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

oh thats cool :)

on Feb. 17 2010 at 8:48 am
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

well, i'm practically an atheist, with some buddhist inclinations. lol

Vinny said...
on Feb. 15 2010 at 9:33 pm
Your writing is pretty good!

on Feb. 15 2010 at 8:23 pm
LeannaRose SILVER, Moreno Valley, California
5 articles 6 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you learn to appreciate them when they&#039;re right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself...and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

lol thats great! i'm glad my arrticle can mean something to someone :)

on Feb. 15 2010 at 5:51 pm
AngelGal07 GOLD, Ferndale, Washington
11 articles 4 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you do not love God then you do not know God for God is love&quot; 1 John 4:8

YES!!!!!! finally someone who understands also!!!!!!!!! i get fustrated when people say christananity is a religon but in truth is a relashionship!!!!!!! thank you soooo much for writing this! it helps me know that i'm not the only teenager out there who doesnt fit the mold of what people want us to be!!!!

on Feb. 15 2010 at 1:49 pm
LeannaRose SILVER, Moreno Valley, California
5 articles 6 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you learn to appreciate them when they&#039;re right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself...and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

thank you :)

staceynyc28 said...
on Feb. 15 2010 at 12:59 pm
staceynyc28, New York, New York
0 articles 0 photos 6 comments
i love this ur work i relates to me in alot of ways keep writing

on Feb. 14 2010 at 9:18 pm
distant_dreamer GOLD, Belmont, New Hampshire
12 articles 6 photos 497 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Life&#039;s a climb, but the view is great!&quot;

Wow, good for you! I'm so happy to know of another christian !! I'm one too!!! Keep up the great work!! :) Maybe check out my stuff sometime, I would LOVE the feeback! :) God bless!!!!!!

on Feb. 14 2010 at 7:05 pm
LeannaRose SILVER, Moreno Valley, California
5 articles 6 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you learn to appreciate them when they&#039;re right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself...and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

thank you :)

what is your view?

on Feb. 13 2010 at 6:50 am
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

it's very well written! but i don't agree with you.