You Are Who You Are!

Another hot button for me is our title phrase, to that you could add, you will never change! Change is one of the few constants every person faces in life. Interestingly enough we fight positive change tooth & nail while when negative changes come our way it's like we are being propelled down a slippery slope wide open & full tilt. Good habits take hard work to create while bad habits come naturally.

In my youth I was known as Gahne Kenny a party looking for a place to happen. I was cross addicted to both alcohol & numerous drugs so partying was a way of life. My life started to change on the day I became born again. When one becomes born again the Holy Spirit illuminates the Word of God to you & a marvelous transformation begins to take place. Now I love to party for Jesus by telling anyone who happens across my path why the silly grin on my face, Jesus is the reason! This definitely gets a reaction & opens many an opportunity for sharing my faith & leading others to Christ.

Too often we become so comfortable being who we are that change has no attraction to us. Yet are we really happy in the life & lifestyle we have become accustomed too? Often times fear holds us back from making what we see & know are necessary changes to enhance our lives. Another reason is we may not believe we are capable of making those changes. This was jack hammered into our brains (too often by our parents), teachers or peers with the words "you will never amount to anything," so we are just to be satisfied with whatever life gives you.

It is easy to see that any number of negative handles fit into our title phrase which can just deepen the guilt & shame the people already feel. Drunk, crackhead, sex trade worker, pervert, loser, hippie, weirdo & you fill in the endless blanks________________________!
It's hard enough for anyone to make changes in their life but this becomes almost impossible with others always putting you down.

I would like to go to the scriptures for a beautiful example of what I'm driving at, the good Samaritan & the Jericho Road from Luke 10:25-37. A lawyer had just questioned Jesus on what he should do to inherit eternal life. The lawyers response attempted to direct the Lords focus onto his fulfilling what the lawyer perceived as the higher demands of the law while questioning who the Lord was referring to as our neighbor.

Jesus story talked of how both the Levite & Priest chose to ignore the poor beaten, bloodied soul. In my minds eye I can see them crossing the road or shielding their eyes with blank or fearful looks upon their faces. Remember they did not know if the robbers were close at hand possibly even watching them. Both the Levite & Priest would seem to be a natural to stop & lend a helping hand but they chose not too, interesting.

Now the Samaritan (a foreigner in this area) only saw the need (compassion!) He was not paralyzed by fear for his own well being. He looked beyond the possible faults or differences, whether the man was a local, foreigner or even Samaritan, he just saw & acted upon the need. The fact he paid 2 Denarii (equvilent to24 days stay at the inn) for a total stranger is monumental to say the least of who this man was. You can have a persons first born or their spouse but do not go near their almighty dollar, that is taboo! For many, even some within the church, no-one else is allowed near their wallets, not even God! The beaten man must have been in a sad state to require almost a month to heal & strengthen his battered body. But would you or I have done the same, that is the question?

We buttonhole or stereotype people into classes or marginalize them in one way or another. This can even be by who they associate with, the families they come from or sad to say what we hear from others on them. We can also do this to ourselves by limiting or quenching an inner desire for change, in whatever way within our own lives.

Hopefully I have expanded or enlightened your perspective on our title phrase. I would now like to give you something else to ponder. it's not who you're neighbor is but are you a good neighbor, like the Samaritan? You are who you are, food for thought!