Are you a Chameleon?

Charley was a grey chameleon that enjoyed resting on his rock. There wasn’t much happening, so it was a peaceful place to be.

His quick little eyes scanned back and forth to see what was around—until suddenly he spotted some prospective lunch. Up Charley leaped onto a large green leaf. From there the green little creature captured a cricket and enjoyed his meal immensely.

Wait a minute—did we just say that Charley was green? A minute ago he was grey—at least while he was perched on a rock. What’s going on?

The amazing thing about chameleons is that they change color according to their surroundings. It’s fascinating to watch them long enough to see it! This ability is something special that God has given to chameleons to help keep them safe from predators.

Did you know that some people behave like chameleons? They change according to their location. In a foreign country, you need to speak the language of that place. But what about when it comes to Bible principle? Should we adjust our beliefs and principles when surrounded by people unfriendly to them?

Let’s recall a famous story from the Bible:

Peter the disciple must have felt very stressed when Jesus, his Master, was unjustly arrested and taken to the court of the high priest. The disciple loved his Lord and had pledged that he was willing to die with Jesus rather than deny Him.

But when Peter entered the court that chilly night, somehow he ended up mingling with the casual crowd that had gathered around the fire to stay warm. Jesus was taken to the high priest, but Peter had tried to disguise himself among the crowd to avoid being noticed as His disciple.

Before he realized what was happening, Peter ended up denying his Lord—not only once but three times in a row! (John 18:15–27.) How could such a thing occur?

Peter had failed to see his own need of prayer until finally he acted like a chameleon—changing his “color” to fit in with the rough crowd condemning Jesus. After this experience, the disciple repented bitterly with tears and never forgot his need of Christ to be able to stand strong in the future.

The Lord forgave His repentant disciple—and He’ll forgive us if we have ever found ourselves in such a situation and acted like a chameleon! But we must learn from the lesson.

Don’t be afraid to show your true colors. You will be blessed for it. A Christian is a Christian in all places and under all circumstances. “The Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).