6 posts tagged “christ”
I like the freedom I have found, which actually I've always had, to decide for myself how I want to be defined. I like choosing for myself with Whom and with what I will identify.
That's not to say that there is no Truth in who I am. The truth, the absolute truth, is I am created by God for relationship with God in the image and likeness of God.
I like the freedom to choose that Truth. I like the freedom to decide for myself to identify with Christ and allow Him to transform my identity.
I like that freedom verses being defined by others who and what I should be. Verses being defined by others by my abilities and disabilities. Verses being defined by my faults and gifts.
I read a post at Disabled Christianity this morning which talked about a woman who, when asked if she had a disability, replied, "I used to have Down syndrome." To her people with Down syndrome were treated differently and ostracized. However, at this point in her life she is a part of things. She's a part of her church. She sees herself as a "normal human adult", as she would say. Therefore, in her conclusion, she must not have Down syndrome anymore.
I suppose it would be good if she recognized that, yes, she does have Down syndrome and learn that there is no shame in that and that it doesn't make her 'different'. It would be just as good if the rest of us learned that, too- if the rest of us learned that men and women with Down syndrome are, indeed, "normal human adults".
But I think it's also very good that she is choosing her own identity and does not define herself by her disability. She has that right to decide for herself whether or not to identify with her Down syndrome. A "normal human adult' is a valid self-definition.
My brother made a comment the other day, as we were discussing my 'job' of caring for an older woman during the day, that he would hate to be live to be in his 90's, as has this woman, Mrs. B, and have to have a babysitter. Not long ago, I would have laughed with him and made some sort of comment of being in agreement with the idea. But since I've been with this woman (for almost a year, now) I wonder why exactly we feel this way.
I wonder why Mrs. B herself, makes comments such as, "I'm good for nothing" and "I'm more trouble than I'm worth" when I'm helping her complete a task. I wonder how it happened that we as a whole society, as have many societies and cultures, have put so much value in what we are able to do and in what we are able to contribute to our fellow human beings, that when we aren't able to 'do' anymore and when we feel we don't have anything to contribute any longer, we feel our existence no longer has any meaning.
I wonder why Mrs. B, as have I in the past, and probably many of us, speak of any present helplessness in our lives in the same way we speak of sin in our lives. We confess the state in a shameful tone of voice and manner. We expect to be criticized for not doing enough to change our present state.
It has to be terribly painful for Mrs. B, a once active farmer's wife, mother of eight, and daycare cook to no longer be able to work and to care for others. I'm sorry she feels so much shame in that. But should she?
Could it be pride that leaves us feeling shameful? Pride in our work and our accomplishments? And since we often put our very identity in our work and in what we do, pride in ourselves?
In a very basic way, Mrs. B has to set her pride, if it indeed is pride that causes her shame, aside and admit she needs help and to allow others to help her. She is physically unable to do most of her skills for daily living. If she didn't ask for and receive help, she would, without exaggeration, die.
I, on the other hand, can hide some of my helplessness fairly well. I can put up a wall of pride filled with 'my' accomplishments of God's recent healing in my life and my new maturity and growth as a Christian and let no one in on any ongoing or new areas of pain, struggles, addictions, etc. But with the very basic example of Mrs. B set before me, I can see SO CLEARLY that relying on myself and my 'works' is absolutely foolish! Mostly becaue, she is a visible reminder that it was in my admitting my weakness and in receiving care from God and others in places where I was absolutely powerless to change that God helped me. He met me and provided His accomplishment of healing, maturity, and growth in my life.
But, like maybe Mrs. B does, even though I've learned to recognize my need for and ask for help, I still feel prideful and ashamed of my helplessness and my inability to do as much as I once could do or would like to do.
Working with Mrs. B, though, has helped me grasp the abstract concept of what it means to put my identity and my very sense of being in Christ, verses what I can do for Christ. I'm learning to embrace helplessness to receive help and find out who I really am. I am not what I do! I hope Mrs. B and my brother find the same kind of freedom.
I love this commercial. I love the idea of running over all the labels and assumptions about who I am and what I can do based on this or that. I love screaming (well, in my head, anyway) "I define me!" "I will tell you who I am!"
I am also learning to appreciate, after tossing out the assumptions and labels of man, the freedom of not defining myself after all, but, instead, of letting myself be defined by my Creator. Because He created me, He knows who I truly am, and, in Him, I can be exactly how I was created to be. He may tell me what my gifts are and are not, why I think the way I think, why I feel the way I feel, how I should look on the outside, and how my heart is to look as He molds it and makes it more like Jesus.
I refute you who attempt to define what I am or who I am supposed to be based on my faults, failures, successes, personality, height, hair color, or diagnosis' and claim, instead, my worth and identity and definition in Christ. Respectfully and with love.
Exalt the Lord our God!
Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!
Psalm 99:5
Oh, Jesus, Your feet
May I lie here
and in peace
be still
May I be held here
and behold
the feet that I call home
I kiss your feet and taste iron...
17. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, 18. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.
Revelation 1:17-18
