My roommate’s New Yorker from a couple of weeks back has a great article on using the full court press in basketball. It also mentions Lawrence of Arabia and King David’s younger years.

What do all these things have in common? Incredible success, due to incredibly unconventional tactics. While I’m inclined to dismiss claims that doing things differently from everyone else will always work out perfectly, I think it’s great to examine every single thing you do and ask if there’s really a good reason to do it the way you’re doing it, or even to do it at all! Romans 12:2 says 1) don’t be like everyone else just because they expect it, and 2) transform yourself through the renewing of your mind. So why are you doing what you’re doing? Why are you doing it the way you’re doing it?

Dave Ramsey says, “Live like no one else so later you can live like no one else.” If you are disciplined to live frugally and simply, below your means, and not keep up with the Joneses, you can be a millionaire on a school teacher’s salary. Ramsey says that he doesn’t want to be normal - “Normal’s broke!”

Mark Twain once said, “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” He also said, “Always do right. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” I think that astonishing people sounds great.

This will be the last quote I’ll put in this entry, and I don’t have a source; “Reasonable men adjust themselves to their environment. Unreasonable men attempt to change their environment to suit themselves. Therefore all progress is the work of unreasonable men."

God’s way is foolishness to men; Paul is clear on this in I Corinthians 2:14 and I Corinthians 3:19. God’s way is unconventional. If you don’t believe me, ask Noah (Genesis 6:14), or Joshua (Joshua 6:1-5), or Peter (Mark 8:31-33). Jesus preached an unconventional message. The Good Samaritan was unconventional (Luke 10:27-37). How much more crazy can you get than “Love your enemies?” (Matthew 5:44)

Be unconventional. Love unconventionally and unconditionally. Obey God unconditionally. And let it show - that will be unconventional in this world.