Dear Trekker,
Have you ever heard the phrase, “So and so is having an identity crises?” Of course you have, as have we all. The perennial question of philosophers is “who am I?” And the socio/psychological climate of the day doesn’t offer much help.
Actually, the culture wars (going on as I write) about sexual identity and gender roles are so fierce, many (mostly millennials) are confused and victimized with little hope of discovery. Confusion bleeds over into sexual relations and marriage expectations. What a mess… and we talk about a “high standard of living” amidst an ever-present, infectious suicide rate which should be a widely acknowledged embarrassment to the culture! God help us!
On a light note, I am reminded of the old Southern preacher’s admonition: “Be who you is! Because if you is who you ain’t, you ain’t who you is, and then you ain’t nobody!” Yet, of course, everybody is somebody… and we better be who we are. We cannot be who we are not! Pretense never works in the long run.
Psalm 8 adds to the equation: “What is man that you (God) are mindful of him, the Son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” I wonder, why do we collectively feel so little “glory and honor?”
Perhaps the greatest human mystery, second only to God’s love for us, is the fall out of the so-called “fall of man.” The God of creation made all things good… wholesome, full-filling, relationally harmonious, etc. Yet, after the “fall,” it seems man became not only alienated from God and from each other, he became alienated from himself! And ever wondering, who am I? This question is timeless.
The hot-button phrase of the day underscoring alienation is “trans-gender.” People ask, what does the phrase mean? It certainly evokes a host of different emotions in today’s public. When our physical sexual make-up doesn’t match our psychological profiles and desires, chaos and inner turmoil are inevitable (so I’m told). “I’m trapped… who can deliver me?”
If we seek fulfillment in ourselves alone, some of us will stumble badly; over time all of us will fail. Whatever the fall has done to humanity, it surely has dissuaded us from the illusion of “the self-made man.”
Trekker, I believe our true identity lies only in another… the Son of God and Son of man, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul says it well to the Corinthians, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” In addition, Paul says that because of what Christ has done, “we regard no one from a worldly point of view.” Now, trekker, I am not certain what amount of this world’s chaos can be changed because Christ entered and enters forever into the picture of every sin-torn life, but I am certain there is little permanent hope without Him and His redemptive plan for each of us! The outworking of redemption begins in us when we accept Him. His identity becomes a touchstone to our identity. There is opportunity for us all when we invite Him in! I wouldn’t place my money on sex change surgery, e.g. our problems are not solved by human surgery, only divine, when He gives us a new, clean, heart (Ezekiel 36:26- 27)!
As we “buy into” God’s redemption story, we become by definition His ambassadors to tell the story to others! We have no choice – a true believer, every trekker, must communicate by life and lip this life-changing story. Judgment and vengeance are not ours; we are repeatedly told in Scripture that we are to live and tell “the Story.”
Finally, Trekker, I am saddened by the response of the Church in our day. We hate the sin so much and are repulsed with disgust so much, it is difficult to express His love “to the sinner” with open hearts and arms. Is it not true? We wring our hands, but do not rend our hearts.
Is the transgender or gay or lesbian received warmly in your local church? Sadly, I doubt it. Each is looking for hope, understanding and acceptance. If they ever darken the door of our individual or corporate church lives, we must for the sake of Christ, welcome them with open arms. Redemption (for whatever it may mean individually) is their sure hope.
“Christ has for sin atoned; what a wonderful Savior.” Can we simply be “Jesus with skin on” to everybody, every day, in every way possible? Can we allow the love of Jesus to flow through us unconditionally, and simply trust and wait for the Spirit to honor Himself? Trekker, we as Christians are not in the “fix-it business.” We have been placed in the redemption business, experiencing His love and giving His love to others as a lifestyle. Gender dysphoria is so disheartening; let us not make it worse by attitudes of revulsion and non-acceptance. If we are not the conduits of His blessings, we will be relinquishing our birthright and our responsibility.
Who of us has not been re-born out of a life of sin? That which we have so freely received, surely we must give to others. The daily trek is a long journey. It is called life. It has many chapters. The journey has many turns, stops and starts. He holds all of us in His hands! And His story is one of relentless redemption. In Him alone is each person’s ultimate identity! There is no other way.
Your friend,
Jim Meredith
