I didn't see that before!

The same road - the same direction - but do we see things differently along that road as we travel in the same direction? You betcha! This lesson was illustrated the other day as we were commuting home. Every other week, my BFF and I take turns driving. Some days mom is in the carpool with us as she heads off to her day club for a little socialization. When that happens, one of us sits in the back seat, allowing us to have both a higher view of the surroundings and a little less distracted view. I have observed just how many text while driving, reading emails and social media feeds, not just at the stoplight, but as they drive! My BFF observed the local nursery got a face-lift of sorts, complete with new parking lot and entrance. I mentioned to her that had been completed months ago and she looked surprised. Why? Although we had traveled the road multiple times in that same direction, that one observation had escaped her view. It is not uncommon that we travel at the same pace, in the same direction, all the while observing or taking in differing aspects of that journey - each from our own vantage point and mindset. There is nothing wrong with that - but if we don't ever share what it is we observe, others who are traveling along with us may never enjoy those discoveries for themselves!

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. (Ephesians 4:4-7 MSG)

Absolutely none of us should be idle in our walk - we should not be found sitting around on our hands doing nothing for Christ, never growing, but becoming stagnant and pretty 'stale' in our daily walk with him. Our walk should not be one of "fits and starts", with little movements here and there, but a consistent and vital walk with Christ. In the passage above, we see that we have traveling companions in our journey - all going the same direction, traveling the same road. Having that in mind, let's explore a little about some of the benefits and dangers of "walking together".

To begin with, we are traveling the same road - there is no "unique" path to God, nor is there any really "unique" path into sin - all sin is a deviation from what God has declared to be good for us. If someone ever tells you that "their" revelation of God is better than someone else's and that it is the only path you can follow, beware! If anyone tries to convince you their 'degree' of sin is much different from yours and that you can never understand where they are or have been, it just isn't true. We are moving in the same direction - not pulling against each other, derisive in our attitude, or trying to 'outdo' the other. There is more than a unity of action, but a unity of spirit that motivates that movement. This is what is referred to as both the outward and inward commitment to staying together - united in our purpose, united in our focus, united in our progress.

The church is notorious for having little groups of people here and there, some moving one direction, others moving another. We limit our effectiveness as a congregation of believers if we allow this lack of unity to exist too long. God doesn't receive glory when we are all out of step with each other - doing our own thing oblivious to the call to reach others that God has placed in our lives. The most telling part of this passage is the announcement that we don't need to be "cookie cutter" Christians - all looking alike, speaking alike, etc. We have a uniqueness of character that makes us perfect for the position we have in the community in which we live and serve. It is these unique qualities that God uses to reach out to others who "connect" with those spiritual attributes, natural talents, and life experiences that are similar to their own. It is what helps us to "bond" in the community into which we are placed - becoming a cohesive group, full of power and purpose in Christ.

For many of us, we consider our "uniqueness" as something that is "odd" or perhaps not really "worthy" of much attention. We each have a different "vantage point" that we viewed life from prior to coming to Christ - that vantage point presents us with tremendous opportunities now that we are on the pathway with other disciples learning how to live this life in Christ. So, as we journey together, we must learn to appreciate the various differences of those on this journey with us. We must not try to conform to some "mold" that another may try to impose upon us - we are free to be exactly who God has made us to be in his tremendous grace and love. I know that there is an old adage, "Variety is the spice of life." In the community into which we are placed, variety is the very thing that accomplishes the ministry God intends through the each of us - men and women of every background, reaching other men and women of similar backgrounds. So, let your "uniqueness" shine today! Just shinin!

Meet my other brother Larry....

Have you ever read a portion of scripture so many times, you just gloss over it because you think you are already "familiar" with it?  What happens is we tell our brains we already know the "story".  It is like when we asked mom or dad to read us the bedtime story for the 2,000th time!  We didn't need them to read it out loud because we could have just looked at the pictures and told THEM the story!  It wasn't that we memorized it - we remembered enough of the details to "tell the story".  I like to go back to some of my favorite portions of scripture frequently because they have challenged me, given me hope, set my thinking straight, etc.  I count on what happened before to give me something "new" this time around.  The most amazing thing about scripture - it almost always does this when we come with an open mind and a seeking heart!

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.   (Romans 8:29-30 MSG)

This passage is one of those places where you can find richness each time you look into it again.  Here are just a couple of things which came alive to me today:

- God knows what he is doing, even before he sets out to do it.  This should give us hope we don't just live by "fate" or "happenstance".  There is a plan in every experience - because God designed us!  Too many times, I hear people saying they will just play the cards they are dealt, as though there is no one in control of what "hand" they receive.  It is like saying the thing was just unavoidable - it is just chance or luck.  Let me tell you - we don't live by chance if we are God's kids.  We don't rely upon luck to get us through.  What we rely upon and live by is the truth and reality of being created by God, to be his kids, and to enjoy the privileges of this relationship.  It isn't kismet.  It isn't good fortune coming your way.  It is predetermined planning on the part of our Creator!

- God shapes our lives, not into some whimsical fancy of his on a particular day, but by the "standard" of his Son.  In other words, he created us and formed us in the image of who he is!  Our lives follow a pretty unique "standard" - that of the life of Jesus Christ.  The word "shape" here should give us a moment to pause.  Shape is used as a verb here, not a noun.  As such, it is a word which describes an action, not on our part, but on God's.  He shapes us (from the outset) to conform to the image of his Son.  In the most literal sense, this means he gives us a definite "form" by which we should live.  Yet, it also means he adjust, adapts, and directs our lives so we will come into and maintain the perfect form he envisions for our lives.  He makes the necessary adjustments, brings us to the place we "adapt" our behavior, aligning character, and directing our path. 

- God gives us the "finished product" as an example because he knows we do better when we "see" what it is we are moving toward.  It is like when we get a jigsaw puzzle in a bag.  If all we have is the pieces, we struggle for a while bringing order and form to the pieces.  We don't "see" how they fit.  Now, give us the box it came in and we now have a perspective by which to evaluate each piece in comparison to the original.  Jesus stands as our example of how to live in relationship with others - sometimes they are easier than others. He stands as our example of how to deal with temptation - using the Word to drive a wedge between the tempting thought and the right action.  Having the right example helps us know how the pieces fit together in our lives.

- God is not content to just create - he also names his creation.  There have been goofy comic routines throughout history where someone will introduce themselves as Larry, then introduce their brother as Larry and their other brother Larry.  In essence, they are designed to poke a little fun at some corner of society, but I think we might just occasionally believe God doesn't know us any better than the guy next door.  We have a hard time with this idea of believing he could know us each by name, paying close attention to each detail of our lives, simply because there are so many of us!  We think it must be like him calling us Larry, our other brother Larry and his brother Larry! Truth is - we are each unique in his eyes and perfectly attended by his care.

- God is concerned with our footing.  It is one thing to stand us up straight; it is quite another to give us solid footing upon which to walk through this life. The wobbliest of objects can be made to stand up with enough ingenuity.  Try taking it out of its "environment" and it may not do as well!  It is great to know God goes with us into our new "environment", preparing the footing we need to be able to navigate through it safely.

What God envisions, he completes.  This probably baffles some of us because we struggle so much with completing the stuff we set out to do.  It is indeed good news to know the Creator sticks with his Creation all along the way, so as to get us more than "established", but also totally "in line" with what he envisioned in his creative work!  Just sayin!

Identity Theft

Have you ever been guilty of identity theft?  Now, don't all rush to admit it, but at one time or another in your life, I think you probably were!  You see, anytime you compare yourself to another and then evaluate whether you can "conform" to the image you see of the other is really a form of trying to commit identity theft!  If you actually pull it off, conforming to the image of another, you have done the deed.  Problem is . . . we often compare ourselves to a flawed image - making what we conform to only able to reproduce another flawed image!

God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”  God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature.  He created them male and female.  (Genesis 1:26-28 MSG)

Anytime we try to be someone or something that another is called to be, we are engaging in this thing called identity theft.  For example, someone sings so melodically, getting accolades galore.  We want accolades, too, don't we.  So, we set out to get voice lessons, try out for the choir, and then one day we volunteer for the solo part.  How well did that work out for you?  If you are like the majority of others who pursue something for the wrong reason, you probably didn't do too well!  Why?  It was not your calling in life to be the soloist - you were made to be part of the choir!  Yet, you excel at something the soloist doesn't - your talent is unique in some manner.  You just have to discover what it is and then walk in it.

Most importantly, we have to remember we are created in God's image - first and foremost!  If we want to engage in "identity theft" we might just do well to "steal" the identity worth stealing!  What I think we have a hard time with is how we could be created in the image of God and still be so unique as human beings - each of us with different gifting and talent.  You see, we can only perceive God through our finite minds.  The many facets of his character, how those intermingle and come out uniquely in each of us just seems to baffle our minds.  We see being in the "image" of someone as being a carbon copy - but being in the image of God allows for us to be uniquely who he created us to be.  You see, when he did the creating, he put together the aspects of his character which he wanted us to uniquely display.  So, to be anything other than true to the character he put in us is to be untrue to our true identity!

The issue with admiring the image God has created in another and then trying to aspire to "fit" that image is that we put that individual in the position of being an "idol" in our lives.  As you know, God clearly speaks against this.  So, we are to follow the image of Christ we might see in another, but we are not to be envious of the "traits" or "talents" God has given that individual.  The way God made another is not the way he made us - we also display the image of Christ, just in a uniquely awesome manner.  Every one of us has a unique image of Christ - don't be afraid to display what you have been given as the "set" of character traits he puts on display through you.  Some will reveal the love of Jesus through their singing, others through their spoken word in teaching.  Others will open the doors of imagination through their creativity, connecting others to Christ's desire to "create" in their lives, as well.  Regardless of the talent, be true to it, for it is God's unique way of putting himself on display through you!

God did not create me to be you, or you to be me.  He created us to be ourselves.  Finding our true identity in Christ is only the beginning of avoiding the tendency to commit identity theft!  Just sayin!