The Godliness of Being One's Self

One of the most profound truths I have learned as I have matured in the faith is this: you are never stronger than when you are fully yourself.

I completely understand that this thought will send many ministers running for the exit after pulling the fire alarms.

I find this reaction sad because anything else often results in a short-term intensity with a long-term slowdown, in the life of faith.  If we teach folks that they cannot be themselves when they become Christians, we set the stage for internal chaos in believers.

I will go one further and state that unless a believer fully embraces and rejoices in who they uniquely are, they cannot mature past a certain level.  Indeed, they are, in my belief, dangerous.

I have heard many a teaching through the years that all have the same message, ostensibly based in Scripture (so were the Crusades, btw) but putting the same cruel twist in them.  Here's how it goes:

'Put on the mind of Christ - quit thinking in your own natural realm and put on his mind, not yours'

Folks, can you imagine how confused a new believer would be after listening to this? Let's see ... hmmm ... I'm not supposed to think ... or am I? ... wait a minute, Christ needs to be thinking, not me ... or is it the other way around? ... who am I anyway?

God has so beautifully orchestrated the Holy Spirit inside of us that he is co-mingled with who we are and transforms who we are.  We keep being ourself because ourself is always being transformed.  We do not consciously try to be someone else - we enjoy the transformation ride internally and keep being ourselves ... that way the transformation unfolds naturally.

And that is how we put on the mind of Christ, incidentally.

Here's another snippet that I often hear:

'Die to self! God hates your self - that is why you must die to it. Instead, let Christ be reborn in you.'

Again, scripture is quoted but the like fire, it can be harmful or helpful.

Dying to self means letting the inner work of the Holy Spirit proceed and in doing so, old ways, thoughts and habits are peeled away or transformed.  The self is died to. But that is simply another way of saying the self is transformed in Christ's reflection.

Any other way of interpreting it is fraught with danger - hmmm, let's see ... my self is bad so I must be someone else in order to be good.  I like broccoli so I ... gee whiz ... I need to now hate broccoli.  I have a natural authentic way of expressing myself but now ... oh no! ... that's bad! I need to speak like someone else.  I love hiking but ... I need to die to self ... darn! I need to give that up!

This is why it is so important to teach how to walk with Christ in an authentic way, not in a way that prizes soundbites over substance.

If you were artistic before you became a Christian, you won't lose that in your conversion ... God will transform that attribute and morph that quality into a Christ-touched artistic aspect.  If you were loved the puts and takes of the business world before you became a Christian, trust me, God will not suddenly exorcise that out of you.  Rather, he will bathe it with his Spirit and it will become a transformed and ultimately more satisfactory part of your being.

Or ... my favorite ... if you had a sense of humor before your Christ-encounter, he will not require you to chuck it overboard before you proceed in the faith.  He will use it to enhance your winsomeness and approachability.  You will be even funnier.

All of this lays the foundation for a strong and persistent life in Christ.

Today, be yourself!  And God will come through in living colors!