May 9, 2014 · 1:17 pm

Dear Jesus, Can I have a pretty pony?

I read an article the other day about Christian persecution in the Middle East.  The stories presented were rather horrific.  I’m not going to describe the stomach-wrenching horror I read, just know that if I didn’t know better, and the language was slightly less-modern, I would have guessed that what was being described was in pre-Constantine Rome, when Christians were fed to lions or crucified, or used as human lanterns in gardens.  Now, I don’t know how trustworthy the site was, and it could be that everything was greatly exaggerated.  Or it could be absolutely, God’s-honest truth.  Human cruelty never fails to surprise me; I would rather believe that people are really good at heart, or that only the incredibly sick and twisted do awful things.  But that’s not really true. We’re all capable of atrocities; we just don’t want to recognize that fact (and we don’t have to face it in our comfy Western world, because it’s easy to keep the awfulness in our souls hidden here ).  But whether nor not this particular article was telling the whole, unbiased, untainted truth about the persecution of Christians is not really the point.

The point is not even that it could be. But the point is somewhere along the lines of if it IS true, and if Christians in places throughout the world are being brutalized (which we know they are), than where does that leave me?  I have a pretty comfy, not-at-all-physically-persecuted life.  In fact, I would call my life cushy.

So what if?  What if our places were reversed, and suddenly I lived in a place that mocked and despised my faith?  What if someone held a gun to my head and asked me to renounce my faith in Jesus, or die, would I do it?   I like to think that I would stick to my faith, that I would have that kind of courage.  And, honestly, I’d take a gun to my head any day over most of the brutality I read about.  A bullet to the head is usually pretty short and quick.  But some of what I read left Christians suffering for a long, long time.  So, what about then?   Would I be tortured for my faith?  I hope so.  I hope I wouldn’t rationalize myself out of it.  But I don’t know.  I’m not sure I ever will know, until faced with it.  It is a good reason to know why I believe what I believe…and to realize that in a moment like that, rational, scientific arguments aren’t going to do anything to convince me.  It’ll be my life experiences and the stories I’ve heard that might help me look my persecutor in the eyes and say, “I can’t.  My God has done too much for me.  I believe in Him, you can’t change that.  Do what you want with this body.”

And so, the point – I think really, the biggest question for me, right now, in my cushy life, is when was the last time I prayed for my Christian brothers and sisters who are being tortured for their faith?  Or for the girls who were recently kidnapped?  Or for any of the sex trafficking victims?  When was the last time I prayed for something that wasn’t related to myself, my friends, or even someone I knew?  When was the last time I took the time to even allow the knowledge of the suffering of others to soak into my understanding a little bit?  When was the last time I let that knowledge impact my self-focused, first-world-problemed life?  To my shame, I can’t remember.
I have been so wrapped up in my cushy-comfy life, that I forget about the world of pain and discomfort and want out there.  And I forget to pray for my brothers and sisters whose trials are far worse than anything I can imagine.  I forgot to pray for my fellow humans who need Jesus, who survive on less than a bowl of rice a day, or who don’t have water to drink.

I am so comfortable I forget.  And really, it’s not really a subject I like to think about, you know?  It’s uncomfortable.  Very uncomfortable.  But it is something I should be doing.   It is a place of discomfort and pain that I NEED to enter into.  It is the very least I can do for my brothers and sisters, for my fellow humans.  I might never be given the privilege to share in their suffering, but I can pray for them in theirs.

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May 2, 2014 · 1:17 pm

Faces of God

I met with a Catholic priest this last week.
And for that to mean anything to you, you have to understand that while I have had a few brushes with Catholics (babysitting, amazing passionate roommates in college, awesome friends) I have never had a theological conversation with a Catholic priest.  I grew up in a Christian home, sure, but as I grew up my family always attended non-denominational churches…except for Christmas and Easter when we went to the Lutheran church my grandparents attended.  I don’t think I was ever of the opinion that Catholics aren’t Christians – like some people who grew up as I did.   I mainly knew Catholics went to “mass” instead of church, prayed to Mary, and had pictures of people with shiny, golden halos.  Obviously, I was rather uneducated.
And so, as an adult, to hear another member of the faith’s view of God, eternal life, and life in general, was pretty eye-opening for me.  To be taught a very little bit about how a Catholic views life and redemption and sins, was intriguing, encouraging, challenging.  The things that caught my attention most though, were the reverence and total commitment.  The wonderful man I spoke to had such a very different view of God.  This man was definitely committed to God; I sincerely doubt that he was in it for the money, fame, or glory (because, you know, there is so much money, fame or glory in true ministry).  There was just something … deep and solid about him.  And while I did not agree with all of the theological points he covered with me, I still walked away with a greater understanding and view of who God is.
books                I think this is important, and I think we do not do it enough.  We read books whose message we agree with.  We are friends with those who think as we do.  How often do we actually engaged in conversation someone, who while having the same fundamental beliefs as us, disagrees with our view of God.  How much of God are we missing out on because we think we understand Him completely and correctly, that we have no room for new ideas, or different sides of Him that we have never engaged?
For instance, I know that each of my friends brings out different parts of my personality.   While my foundational character never changes, the kids I work with bring out the goofy in me that some of my “grown-up” friends never see.  Not because I’m trying to hide the goofy side of me, but simply because nothing in their personality calls out the goofy in me.
I think the same is true of God.  It is imperative that YOU encounter Him in your life, engage Him with everything you are.  But also talk to other people about God – especially those you don’t see eye-to-eye with.  Learn how they experience God, learn what He has done for them, and HOW.
I often am a victim of my own experiences.  In that, because God worked one way with me, I expect Him to work the same way with everyone else.  But that’s not how God works.   He works differently through everyone.
And so, figure out how God works in someone else.  Talk to them about how they seem Him, and why.
Learn to see the different sides of God.  Learn to know God better, that you might love God better.

Now, it needs to be said while I am all for engaging different ideas, I in no way believe the whole “everyone gets to god in their own way, there are many paths, all religions talk about the same God” thing.  Nope.  None of that.  The only way to God is through Jesus.  He said so; incredibly clearly (John 14:6).  However, once you have the crucifixion, resurrection, and salvation as the foundation of your theology, there are many other less-important ideas that need to be discussed. 

Now, THAT being said, I am NOT saying, “Never talk to someone of a different religion”, because that’s not the case either.  Definitely talk to them.  Be friends with them.  We need that sort of friendship, and they do too.  

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April 25, 2014 · 1:17 pm

Growth like Spring

Mom's Purple Pansy             I feel pretty confident in stating that spring is finally here.  Granted, I live in Colorado, so we might be in for another snow fall – or not.  If we do get more snow, it won’t stick around long.
It is SO refreshing to walk out the door and smell fresh air full of the scent of newly-growing things.  While I love winter, I have been waiting for some time now for green grass and the beauty of sun illuminating thin petals of tulips and pansies and creeping flox.  There is something about this time of year that makes a girl SO glad she’s alive.
I know of people who love a certain season so much that they wish they could only live in the one.  But each season needs the others to make it happen.
I mean, without winter, without the time for the earth to rest, to be gently replenished through snowfall and cooler temperatures and plant-leftovers, spring wouldn’t happen.  We might not be able to see all of the good that is going on beneath the brown, forgotten grass or in the barren garden but good, vital stuff is happening.  And then, when the time is right (and usually so much later than when I’m ready for it) spring quietly spreads over the land so quietly that often I don’t notice it until quite a lot has happened and it feels like spring just showed up over night.Tulips
The thing is, this happens in us too.  We can pray and pray and pray for God to do something specific in us, or work soooo hard to conquer something, or get frustrated that nothing is happening.  But growth is happening – it might just be a winter season, where you need to rest and replenish before the purples, reds, yellows, blues, and greens of spring burst forth from you.  God likes to work in secret on us for long bouts of time before showing off what He’s done.
So don’t give up hope, if you’re hoping for growth in yourself.  If you’ve been praying for God to help you to forgive someone, or to be able to conquer some specific sin, keep praying, keep doing whatever it is He has asked you to do.  If you’re feeling “stagnant”, as occasionally I do, don’t give up.  Think of that time as the very end of winter.  You’re practically itching to grow because you sense it is time.*     But don’t worry, He IS doing a good work in you, and He WILL complete it.  In His time, in His way, probably when you aren’t even looking for it.

 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6

Creeping Flox

*In my experience, that itching can mean one of two things.  The first – like I said, God is ready for your personal growth to burst forth for all to see.  Or second – God is causing in you a stirring for growth because it is time you and He work on that – which probably means you’re going to need to trust Him through the coming winter.   So trust, and do as He prompts, because He is doing an amazing work!

 

 

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April 18, 2014 · 1:17 pm

Easter freedom

It is Easter in a few days.  I love Easter.  Perhaps that is because of all the fond memories I associate with this time of year: the hats and white gloves and orchid corsages and new dresses when I was a little girl, the egg hunts, the bunny-baskets full of candy, the family gatherings and good food.

coconut-macaroons      As I’ve gotten older a few of those traditions have fallen to the wayside – like the hats and white gloves and orchid corsages.  (I should’ve kept the hat one, but I don’t have time to find the perfect Easter hat these days).
But, I HAVE  picked up a few other traditions along the way – like watching the movie Chocolat and making coconut macaroons.  I love me some chocolate and coconut…and somehow those flavors work best together around this time of year.  chocolatAs for Chocolat, I love the reminder of grace and mercy that the movie subtly speaks of.  For that is what this holiday is all about, is it not?  Through Christ’s sacrifice, God extends us grace and mercy.

I think, often though, we get focused on simply Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Which, don’t get me wrong, is a big deal.  Without His death and resurrection, we would still be in an insecure state as to our relationship with God the Father.  Because of sin, God could not interact with us humans in the way He originally had intended and desired.  But, because of Jesus’ death, or more accurately, because of Jesus life and resurrection, God could.

13.06.03 - Celtic Cross               And that’s where we stop.  We forget to apply Easter to our lives.  Because of Easter we are covered by Jesus’ blood. Because of Easter, our sins no longer interfere with our relationship with God.  Because of Easter, God’s grace and mercy extend over, around, through, and under us.  We are accepted.  He loves us (not that He didn’t before).  Because of Easter, you don’t have to be perfect, or even mostly good.  Jesus’ blood covers all the gunk in your life, so you don’t have to sit there, covered in it,  and focus on it. You no longer have any need to be reminded of the gunk and sin, you can get up and walk away from it.  God will clean that up; God will clean YOU up.  Sure, He’ll ask for your help, but He’ll do it.  You don’t (you CAN’T) do it on your own.  And THAT is what Easter is about: Jesus taking on the responsibility of cleaning up your mess.  (Now…if only He would clean up my chocolate-and-coconut-covered kitchen….)

You are free, my friend.  Because of Easter, you are free indeed.  Now, go and live as if that were true.  And treat others as if that were true as well.  Because it is.  But most Christians forget that.  We have to live our life a certain way, maintain a Christian Culture standard, and if you don’t…well then…  But that’s NOT why Jesus died.  He died so that all might come and hang out with Him – no matter their past sins.  I think so often we forget that when Jesus was on Earth, He hung out with the low-lifes, those no one else wanted to associate with because they were the misfits, the thieves, the prostitutes, the betrayers, the less-than-smart, the unclean, the social definitely not accepted.  And He invited them to be His friends, to be part of His earthly story.  Which means there is hope for each and every one of us.  That He’s inviting you to come and sit at His table.
Now, don’t get me wrong.  There will be a price to pay.  While Christian Culture turns its back on those who aren’t clean enough, or say the wrong things, or do the wrong things, Secular Culture does the same to Christians.  But, if you are willing to deal with that, if you are willing to accept what Jesus did for you – and live in that freedom (and I’m not talking about the rule book that many in Christian Culture say you must live by), than this day – Easter, is truly a life-changing day worth celebrating!

He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed!
(Now, go LIVE that way!) 

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April 11, 2014 · 1:17 pm

More than you can handle

I have heard more than once recently that “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.”

For the record, yeah, that’s not true.  It’s definitely not scriptural.  In fact, I bet if you could talk to Job, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter, that they would all say at one point or another that God gave them more than they could handle.  Even Jesus, that night in Gethsemane, asked God if he could get out of the next couple coming days, and he sweat drops of blood (this happens when a person is under a great deal of stress).

The closest scripture I could find to this saying is 1 Corinthians 10:13, which states in the ESV, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

But temptation is different than life struggles.  Your dad having cancer is a life struggle, not a temptation.  Your friends betraying you is a life struggle, not a temptation.  I mean, sure, within the life struggle you will find the temptation to reject God, or reject parts of Him you know to be true.  And that was Satan’s goal in taking everything away from him – to get him to curse God.  But life struggles happen, and aren’t temptations in and of themselves.

But I bet, as the messengers came running to Job about his children dying, and his cattle, sheep and other sources of his wealth, Job would have said that this was too much, that God had given him more than he could handle.  But mostly he just asked “why”.

Talk to the people in Africa, who are now orphans because both of their parents died of AIDS and are now starving.  Or to any of the refugees anywhere on the planet.  I bet they would all say “it’s too much”.

And it is.  Why wouldn’t it be?  Life is hard, and often it is more than a person can handle on their own.   I don’t care if your life is cushy or if your life is super-hard, it’s more than you can handle.  Something will come up that will send you over the edge.  Which is why God calls us to community and to be in constant communion with Him.  Because life IS more than we can handle on our own.  But with Christ and with the community He has given us, we never have to do it on our own.

Even Job didn’t have to go through his trials alone.  I mean, sure, his friends could have been a bit more supportive and trusting, but at least they sat down with him, and sat through the pain with him.  Now, I’m sure at times he would have preferred they leave, their advice was that poisonous, but even their horrible advice seems to have pushed Job that much more to not curse God.

So yeah, the saying “God doesn’t give you more than you handle” is pretty much a lie.  He allows stuff all the time to happen that is more than we can handle.  But through that stuff, God is there and if you are dependent on Him, you will get through.  And one of the ways He reaches out to you is through the community you and He have gathered around you.  Life is not meant to be lived alone.  You can’t do it on your own (even people who think they can find ways to get around the pain – whether they watch too much TV, are super-focused on their body, or drink, or whatever it is they can find to escape).

God WILL give you more than you can handle.  On your own you will shut down emotionally.  You will curse Him.  You will no longer see a reason to live, or how you possibly could live through this.  You might mentally snap.

But God will never give you more than you and He and your community can handle.  There isn’t one example in scripture of God doing that.  He’s not an evil, malicious God.  He is just, and righteous, and loving.  He takes care of His kids.  It might be hard, but if you are at His side, He’ll guide you through.

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April 4, 2014 · 3:17 pm

Faith Like Why

If someone were to ask you why you believe what you believe, what would you say?  Would you take them down the Roman Road?  What if they knew nothing about the Bible?  Than the Roman Road is just a bunch of cobbled-together random sentences from one thick book.  Can you do the same thing with the Harry Potter Series?  Does he point to God?  Or would you point to a few science articles that indicate an intelligent creation?  Or talk of tales from your personal life experiences?  Seriously.  Why do you believe what you believe?

And how strongly do you believe it?  Would you die for your beliefs?  Are you willing to enter into discussion with others about why they believe what they believe (and actually HEAR them)?  What would happen to your faith if somehow it was brought into question?  If you were shown discrepancies within the Bible? Does that make it any less true?  Or if you were told that most of the stories were actually just that – stories, good stories, to teach us lessons.  But nothing more.  Maybe they were even “borrowed” from other surrounding religions during the time the Bible was being written.  What then?   And what do you do when someone shows you a picture of an adorable little girl dying of starvation in Africa, or a woman caught in the sex trade?  How do you tell them that God is a loving God who “knows the plans [He] has for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you”?  Or what about the people who tell you that “as long as you believe something  – that’s all that matters”?  Or the people who call you arrogant because you believe your scriptures, which say that Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven?  What about the little children who never have a chance to believe in Jesus?

How strong is your faith then?

Can your faith stand up against messy life, heartache, deep pain and everything life will throw your way?

Why do you believe what you believe? 

This is a crucial question.  YOU HAVE TO KNOW.  If you are living your life right, someday someone will ask you.  And you better be ready with an answer.  Or you will run across people who have been hurt by the Christian religion, and you will need to know how to answer their probably-angry questions with a great deal of grace and love.

And, as a little caveat, if the foundation of your faith, if your answers to hard questions are sort of wishy-washy (“well, I think…  “or “somewhere in the Bible it says….”), or come from Sunday morning sermons, (“Well, Pastor Peter says…”), or, worse, come from “biblical” movies (like The Passion, or Veggie Tales, or so many more) your answers aren’t going to hold up.  That being said, if your answers are ONLY from scripture and the person asking you questions isn’t from the Christian faith, or a religion that values a main instructional book like the Bible, you scripture references aren’t going to mean much…yet.  I mean, as Isaiah 55:11 says, anytime you speak scripture (with the right intent), God will use it. So, by using scripture you’re potentially planting seeds…but you’re not necessarily going to be helpfully answering the questions they have right at that moment.

So then, how do you defend or share your faith?  A whole lot of listening for wisdom from the Holy Spirit.  A whole lot of living a life that points toward Christ.  A whole lot of owning your weaknesses.  And a huge amount of confidence in how Christ sees you.  Knowing what the Bible says, knowing what science says, and being willing to share your life story.  And patience, a whole lotta patience and humility.  And a huge helpin’ heap of depending on Christ.

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March 28, 2014 · 1:17 pm

A slice of Humble Pie

pie cherryFor whatever reason, the idea of humility has been bouncing around me for the last couple months.  Whether it’s just the current fad, or God’s trying to teach me something, well, I guess I need to ask Him.
Growing up, I was given the idea that humility meant thinking more of others than yourself.  That it meant taking care of others at the expense of you – your time, your money, your abilities, everything.
But, if we say the best example in the Bible of a humble person is Christ…than that’s not really true.  I mean, sure, He eventually did give up His life for the good of the world, but that’s because that was His job, His calling, His purpose.    But that’s not really how He lived His life.  Throughout the Gospels  we often find Jesus sleeping, or taking time out with just Him and God – even if there are people around wanting to learn from Him.  He took time to refresh.
He knew His human limits.  He knew what He could do, and did it when it was appropriate.  And He knew what He couldn’t do (think temptation after 40 days, or His quiet times with God).  And in all things, He depended on His Father (God the Father) for strength, and on the Holy Spirit for insight.  Jesus couldn’t do it all by Himself, and He acted in that knowledge.
Nor did He think He had to stay around to watch His church grow.  Nope.  He knew that wasn’t His job, and He empowered the men whose jobs it was – His disciples.
So, basically, humility is being aware of who you are – of your strengths and your weaknesses, and admitting to them and using them to the glory of God.   But even more than that, it means owning your dependence on God, and listening to Him.  Being aware of which jobs you’d be the best for, and which ones you should NOT accept because you can’t do them…or because they tempt you too badly.  Being aware of your body, and allowing it to be healthy (you know, feed it right, exercise, and REST it – physically, mentally and spiritually).  Humility means you are aware of the needs of the world around you, and your own, and you meet those needs as God leads.
I would end this by saying, “Know thyself”…but I think that’s not really possible without Christ revealing to you who exactly you are.  You can try it on your own, but I don’t think it’s going to turn out as well as it would with Christ.  So, let Him show you who you are.  Ask Him to show you your strengths and your weaknesses.  Ask Him to give you opportunities to grow you, and experiences that remind you of your complete and utter dependence on Him.

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March 21, 2014 · 1:17 pm

Sugar and Noise

I did not grow up with Lent.  In fact, I’m not sure I even knew what “giving something up for Lent” meant until I read the story of the Von Trapp Family Singers (the family Sound of Music was based on).  Maria gave up sweets, or maybe it was just chocolate, for Lent.  And I read that book sometime in early high school I think.
Lent was something “those Catholics” did.  Not something us enlightened and freed from the law Protestants participated in.  I had a lot to learn.
In college I heard a lot about different takes on Lent – all from Protestant Christian types.  They talked about using the Lenten season to re-connect with God, to re-focus.  And so they suggested ADDING something to our lives.  Like focusing on a sense of gratitude during Lent, or taking 30 minutes out of our day to spend quietly before the Lord, and many other cool ideas.
At that time, I didn’t care enough.  The first time I can remember giving something up for Lent was when I was in Bahrain.  The girls I taught with and I gave up chocolate….sorta…kinda…maybe.  I tried anyway.  About three years ago I wanted to participate in this season, but knew I needed to keep it do-able.  So, I turned off the radio in my car and didn’t turn it back on until after Easter.  I tried to use the time to pray, but often became convicted of how easily my thoughts wander.  But somehow, the quiet is good for me, even if my thoughts don’t stay focused in prayer.  So it’s become a tradition during Lent.
This year is interesting, because while I’ve always driven a lot, I am driving like three or four times the distance than I have been, due to how far away the Seminary is from my home.  And so I live in silence for at least an hour a day…or relative, busy-road silence anyway.  And I cannot tell you how good that has been for my soul!
Noise adds so much clutter to our lives.  It often does an amazing job of cancelling out God’s voice in our lives.  And I haven’t done any studies on the subject, but I bet minds that have quiet as part of their daily routine are incredibly healthier than those that are constantly bombarded by music and noise.
But I also added something this year, mostly because the idea that the idea that my body is God’s temple, and so I need to take care of it as such, has been niggling at the back of my mind for months now.   Not that I have been abusing my body, per se.  At least, not anymore than the normal American.  But I do eat way more sugar than my body needs, and, indeed, over the last four months or so, I’ve come to notice how dependent I am on it.  Whenever I’d get stressed or tired or wanted to write or stay awake during class, I suddenly craved chocolate, or doughnuts or a mocha, or maybe ice cream.  If I was hungry for a snack, I’d grab something sweet.
A desire for dependency on God and not myself or things in my life has been growing.   So, with that two-fold goal of treating my body with better respect and with wanting to be more dependent on God during my times of stress and tiredness, I decided to give up sugar – to the best of my abilities.  I’m pretty sure to completely go off of refined sugar I’d have to only eat meat, veggies and fruits.  And I’m not going that extreme.  But I’m giving up everything that I can that I know has sugar in it.  AND IT’S CRAZY HOW MUCH DDOES!!!!
And while I do have sugar cravings every now and then (and fully expect them to get worse), it’s good.  I can’t say I’ve noticed any major difference in my body, but I no longer beat myself up for eating sugar.  And really, at least for now, that’s not the point.
But the coolest part of giving up sugar, is how present God is in my thoughts these days.  When I choose to eat a certain way that is radically different than how I was eating, then everything I put in my mouth is suddenly a very conscious choice…which reminds me of God, of His love, and who He is.   And what He’s done for me.  Which is the point of this season.
And that is worth it.
So, take some time this Lenten season (so, from now until Easter, April 20th) to remember God.  To be silent and listen.   And maybe, if you’re brave, ask yourself what you’re depending on instead of Christ.

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March 14, 2014 · 1:18 pm

Train tracks

This may shock you, but I live in a place where occasionally my driving is hindered by a train rumbling along its tracks that cross some of our roads.  Yes, that still happens.  It’s happened twice to me in the last week, and one of those roads was a super-busy street!  I mean, this road is practically a highway, but all the fast-moving, impatient cars (well, impatient drivers anyway) still had to stop for the train to slowly roll by.
Normally, I try to get out of waiting.  I turn around and try to find a way around (either behind or in front of or under in some cases) the trundling train.  I’ve lived here for a while, so I know what my options are, and make use of them.  The silly thing is though, by the time I get the piece of track that I can drive over, I would have saved time had I stayed where I originally was to begin.  But, even though I know this, the idea of sitting there, counting the cars as they pass makes me slightly jittery.  So much time is wasted while this antiquated form of transportation rolls along its tracks.  And yet, in reality, it’s not that much time.  I timed it yesterday.  Three minutes.  I waste three minutes sitting and waiting for the train.  But the thing is, yesterday while actually waiting (I couldn’t get out of waiting yesterday) I realized that God was teaching me something here.
I think, sometimes, God puts inconvenient things in our lives (that technically, yes, we could get around) in order to make us slow down.  I think He’s trying to give us a chance to stop, take a deep breath, and reflect a bit before moving on.
So when God slows you down a bit – simple things feel a bit harder than normal, or some process you have no control over but whose mercy you’re at takes longer than it should.  It’s okay.  Just breathe.  And instead of worrying about when you’ll get your answer, or whatever, just trust that God’s got this.  That it will be okay.  And relax.  Slow down.  Breathe in, breathe out.  Slow.   Down.

 

 

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March 7, 2014 · 1:17 pm

I.D. Please?

Just so you know, the lengthy blog below is not necessarily Biblically proven (I mean, sure, there’s a lot of Biblical truth in it, but there is no where in the Bible that says, “this is IT”, so please don’t think that this is that).  These is just where I have currently landed on my understanding of the topic.  If you have your own thoughts, please, I’d love to hear them.   

“Can I see your I.D.?”
I walk up to the man in uniform, hand him my driver’s license and boarding pass and wait as he checks to make sure my I.D. is valid, my boarding pass is legit, and then waves me on with a polite gesture.
Really?  This little piece of plastic that fits in my pocket tells you who I am?  I mean, I guess the picture looks like me, I haven’t changed THAT much in the ten years since my picture was taken.  So, since the picture and my face match-ish, than everything else on the little piece of plastic is accurate too.  It is a sum of who I am.
My first name is Amy.   My initials spell ALL (a detail I love!).  I live where there are beautiful mountains.  I have brown hair and brown eyes.  And then, of course, the piece of plastic holds a few other details about me (like height and weight), and even more important numbers are on there – like my birthday, my driver’s license number, and the date when this particular piece of plastic will no longer be a valid source of knowledge for who I am (the expiration date).
But if you ask anyone who knows me, I am so much more than that tiny bit of information.  I am daughter, sister, friend, mentor, leader, student, crazy-driver, brownie-baker, encourager, seamstress, writer, babysitter, and reader – to name a few.  And those are just titles!  That doesn’t even begin to go into the details – like what my laugh sounds like, or why or when I laugh for that matter. Or what my story with God is.  It doesn’t tell you my favorite flowers, or favorite season, or favorite candy, or favorite movie, or what kind of music I like.  Or whether or not I snore, or what hobbies I might have, or what makes me blush, or what I’m passionate about…and so much more.  And all this stuff – this stuff that you can’t take from me (might change over time, but you can’t take it from me) – this is what makes me, me.
So, when someone comes up to me in church and says, “Your identity needs to be In Christ.  You are Christ’s child.”…WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?
I’ve heard the general explanations:  God loves me.  I need to depend on Him for my validation, not my friends or family or the world.
But…WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?  Like, on a practical level, in everyday life.  How is THAT my I.D.?  I can’t simply make up a card with my face on it, my height and weight on it (just to make sure no one stole the little piece of plastic) and then put CHILD OF GOD across the top, with some pretty pearly gates in the background, since it will be issued by Heaven.  Pretty sure the guy at the airport gate isn’t going to accept that as “valid”.  Not that his opinion really matters.  I don’t think of my Driver’s License as my actual identification (it’s just a brief, precise physical description).  But still.
What does it mean to be a Child of God?
I know this much:
It means that He loves me enough for Jesus to come to Earth, live a perfect
life, die for my sins, defeat Satan’s claim over my life, and then, when the
time is right, usher me  into Heaven.
Now, don’t get me wrong – that’s GREAT.  But, it’s more than that
too.  It means that, as His child, I love Him like my father…which
means loving Him so much I want to live a life that pleases Him and
brings Him joy.   Which means living a life different than most people
around me live.   It means living a life that is full of joy and grace and
love and patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, etc.
But that’s what I DO, not who I am.  What I DO is a result of
how I see myself.  SO, in order for those things above to
happen, I have to see myself and recognize that I am God’s
kid, the apple of His eye, that I have ahold of His
heartstrings.
Which means, I think, that in order for me to practically, on a daily basis, understand what it means to be a child of God, to take those ambiguous three words as my identity, I need to see myself as He sees me…or as close as He’ll let me see myself as He sees me.
For example – growing up, whether or not we fully realize it – we learn to see ourselves as our parents see us (well, I think this is true.  Technically I’ve only ever observed this phenomenon … oh, and I’ve lived through it as a kid.  Never been on the parent part of this formula).  But, if our father sees us as a nuisance, he’s going to treat us as such…and we will respond to that.  If he treats us that way long enough, eventually, we will begin to realize He sees us this way, and it will become part of our identity, and from there, it becomes the source of our actions…and so (probably) we become an even bigger nuisance.
Now – quick note – not all parents realize how their actions are affecting their kids, nor understand how the messages they are sending are shaping their children’s identity.  And, most often, the way parents treat kids is not in reaction to the kid herself, but to the parents’ own old wounds, scars, and beliefs.  So, in cases like this, the child ends up believing stuff about herself which was never true, but had so much more to do with their parents’ wounds.
Okay – back to identity in God.  We need to see ourselves as God sees us.  If we understand that He sees the broken, ugly bits of us, but still loves us more deeply and purely than any human ever could, we’re going to view the world with a different perspective than if we believe that God sees us as a screw-up.  And if we understand His love for us, than how we interact with the world will change.  And this will change how we identify ourselves.  We will know what it means to have our identity in Christ.

 

 

A butterfly is a butterfly is a butterfly whether or not she chooses to fly or to crawl along the ground like the caterpillar she used to be.   
She IS a butterfly; that is her identity.  She can’t change that.  Nothing can take that from her.  But it is not until she realizes she is a butterfly, spreads her wings and flies that she is embracing her identity. 

You ARE a child of God, whether or not you want to admit it.  But, it won’t be until you do admit it that you’ll be willing to recognize you even have wings.  And then comes the process of spreading them, trusting the wind, and gliding.  The process of being willing to believe that God loves you – unconditionally, just as you are.  The process of learning to listen to Him, of following Him, of molding your life to His design.   The process of realizing what it means to be His child.

 

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