freedom

Today is difficult for our generation…we are told we can be anything, do anything, go anywhere, outlive our parents, be different from everyone because we are unique; and it’s sad because most people will do all of those things. It seems like the one thing we aren’t encouraged to be is ourselves. It’s like we live in this schizophrenic/ADD world that has no clue where we are going because we are so caught up in becoming something that stands out. And oddly, what that ends up looking like ultimately is a society that looks alike, talks alike and yes, even dates and marries the same people. It’s sad.

In our endless search for what we think we want to be, we have lost sight of who we were created to be and Who we were created by and for. We are inundated with the message that we must be different, look different and act different…and well, we’ve missed that. We shop at the same stores- all looking for that original style…and most people will just leave their own self at home, because somehow we’ve learned that it isn’t good enough. So in order to measure up to arbitrary and asinine standards, that truly contradict themselves, we abandon the only Person who can even begin to tell us exactly who we are and we look to others who are just as flawed (and in competition with us) to shed some light on our worth. So we fight to become our own, we have labels, we are labeled…and comparing the two categories of labels ours and His…it’s astounding to see the difference.

Slut, happy, bitchy, immature, old, cranky, funny, boring, witty, pretty, ugly, stupid, dumb, ridiculous, insane, fat, skinny, anorexic, successful, failure, liar, goody-two-shoes, rebel, hellion, brown nose, suck up, sarcastic, mean, rude, unkind…we use these labels and more to try and sum up who we are, who we think others are, and what we think about our interactions with them. And truth be told, they change sometimes minute by minute. Some days we like each other and others, and in the next minute we could be at each other’s throats. So much judging goes on day to day. We judge so we don’t get judged. We judge harshly in order to keep the ones we perceive as a threat to stay away. We judge ourselves so when another judges us, there's no surprise.

But there is an alternative…here’s another list that I have come to cherish:

I am loved first, far above rubies, more than a conqueror, set apart, His, sought after, in His righteousness, rejoiced over with singing…

It goes on and on…these are just some of my favorites. And once I remember to bathe in the Truth, to remember Whose I am, the striving ceases. There is no competition, no fear of losing my status with Him, no wondering what He says about me when I walk out of the room or have a bad day, no fear of what may befall me because quite frankly, I am summed up by Him. He knows me. He says what I am. He has the right to condemn me, to throw stones, to hate me, to ignore me, to chastise me, to make fun of my imperfections, to leave me hanging, to make me feel inadequate…but He doesn’t. He loves me. It’s incredible, really. But He does. And it’s the safest I’ve ever been.

And so when I’m running around this world, trying to be different, but trying to be normal and I feel crazy, I try to remember that He is my audience. That other people’s opinions only matter if I put stock in them and that it is exhausting and ridiculous to continue to try and do things to please the people I really have no interest in, outside of gaining their approval!