Become Who You Already Are
On my wedding day, a man wearing a wooden tie said something at the reception that I have never forgotten – and not just because he was wearing a tie made on a table saw. He actually told me that he had hoped to wear his tinfoil suit, but it wasn’t ready yet. But, back to what he said, I listened to my friend as he told me to “love as if you’ve never been hurt” and to “become who you already are.” The first statement is profound, for sure. Love without the fear of someone not reciprocating that love. That’s powerful. The second statement didn’t hit me right away. It’s like a hand-me-down sweater. I’ve had to grow into it quite a bit since then. It sounded flaky at first, but I don’t think so any more.
What does it mean to “become who you already are”? The easiest illustration is that of a royal prince who for matters of safety is brought up with peasants. He is of noble blood, but due to his up-bringing, he feels like a peasant, acts like a peasant and thinks like a peasant. “Peasant” is made of two words: “peas” and “ant”. They’re both little things that can get squashed, and some people eat both. I wonder what chocolate-covered peas taste like? Vegetable fondue? Anyway… sorry about that. This princely peasant, not knowing his royalty, goes about his life oblivious to the resources at his disposal. A messenger of the king even comes to him and says, “The King says it’s time to come home now. Take your place as the prince!” But the peasant just laughs and thinks someone is playing a joke on him. The truth is, I’m of noble blood now, because someone who was born a king died for me. I need to live accordingly.
The Queen of England does not hang out at Mac’s, taking the air out of car tires. I do. Kidding, of course. She acts according to her standing right? She lines her state up to her standing. Any believer in the Lord Jesus for eternal life has a position IN Christ. But he or she may have a condition that does not line up with that. I believe that is mostly due to the ignorance as to the standing that Christian actually has. When a person gets a hold of the idea that they are the very Temple of the Spirit of God, a new creation in Christ, a heavenly citizen, a co-heir with Christ, seated with him in heaven, blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, and a part of the very Body of Christ, then he or she will begin to have their lives line up with that reality.
It seems to me that very many Christians are like a man walking around complaining about their lack of a car. They have sore feet and never get anywhere on time and they grumble about it. All the while there is a brand new car parked in the driveway and the keys are in his or her pocket! Maybe it’s like they’ve even found the car, but they’re just pushing it around, getting exhausted in the process. The abundant life Jesus offers us is the same one where HIS yoke is easy and HIS burden is light because he does the work. We are just along for the ride, trying to stay out of the way.
So become who you already are. If you have received Christ as your life, then say with the Apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And then DO all things! Don’t just say it. Be a believer in the truest sense. Hold God to his word. He says these things are so. You really are a new creation in Christ, just as sure as there really is a guy who owns a wooden tie and tinfoil suit (which would come in handy if the tie ever caught fire, eh?)
BJ
What does it mean to “become who you already are”? The easiest illustration is that of a royal prince who for matters of safety is brought up with peasants. He is of noble blood, but due to his up-bringing, he feels like a peasant, acts like a peasant and thinks like a peasant. “Peasant” is made of two words: “peas” and “ant”. They’re both little things that can get squashed, and some people eat both. I wonder what chocolate-covered peas taste like? Vegetable fondue? Anyway… sorry about that. This princely peasant, not knowing his royalty, goes about his life oblivious to the resources at his disposal. A messenger of the king even comes to him and says, “The King says it’s time to come home now. Take your place as the prince!” But the peasant just laughs and thinks someone is playing a joke on him. The truth is, I’m of noble blood now, because someone who was born a king died for me. I need to live accordingly.
The Queen of England does not hang out at Mac’s, taking the air out of car tires. I do. Kidding, of course. She acts according to her standing right? She lines her state up to her standing. Any believer in the Lord Jesus for eternal life has a position IN Christ. But he or she may have a condition that does not line up with that. I believe that is mostly due to the ignorance as to the standing that Christian actually has. When a person gets a hold of the idea that they are the very Temple of the Spirit of God, a new creation in Christ, a heavenly citizen, a co-heir with Christ, seated with him in heaven, blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, and a part of the very Body of Christ, then he or she will begin to have their lives line up with that reality.
It seems to me that very many Christians are like a man walking around complaining about their lack of a car. They have sore feet and never get anywhere on time and they grumble about it. All the while there is a brand new car parked in the driveway and the keys are in his or her pocket! Maybe it’s like they’ve even found the car, but they’re just pushing it around, getting exhausted in the process. The abundant life Jesus offers us is the same one where HIS yoke is easy and HIS burden is light because he does the work. We are just along for the ride, trying to stay out of the way.
So become who you already are. If you have received Christ as your life, then say with the Apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And then DO all things! Don’t just say it. Be a believer in the truest sense. Hold God to his word. He says these things are so. You really are a new creation in Christ, just as sure as there really is a guy who owns a wooden tie and tinfoil suit (which would come in handy if the tie ever caught fire, eh?)
BJ
posted by BJ at 3:53 PM
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