One thing I’ve been noticing recently is that the stakes are high in this developmental game we play. We are becoming who we are—and will be. These things we are saying and doing are setting in. These patterns of thought are taking hold.
We have a tendency to look at the other guy and say, “He’s unusual. Have you noticed her weird habit of…?” And we fail to notice that we are becoming just such a person, one with self-inflicted blind spots, unenviable traits, which if we could see them fully grown a decade from now, we would wince at—but seeing now, we merely wink at. The “Yeah, buts” of today become the “Are you kidding mes?” of tomorrow. Rough edges become ingrown weaknesses.
We are becoming people who may be found crippled by those around us, never knowing it. Don’t miss this fact: Who you are being now, more or less, is who you will be. Be careful of who you are cavalierly becoming. Once cast, your personality will harden. This game is for keeps. Sanctification is your only hope. Let Christ change you now.
There is no going back, at least not humanly. Character marches inexorably on while you are picking and choosing: Should I show up today? Do I really want to talk to her? What’s to prevent me from indulging, just this once? You think you’re just experimenting with expedience. In reality, yourself is quietly taking shape.
We all think that one day the clouds that complicate our lives will clear, we’ll walk out on the stage, free from stupid, mitigating circumstances, and everyone will see us "for who we really are." Guess what? You’re on the stage now. You are who you live like.
Pray for Christ to intervene and struggle to be vulnerable to his Spirit-work. Be open and obedient. People don’t change much, and if Christ doesn’t change you today, when will he ever? Take stock of where your default living is leading you.
Your life is on a trajectory, although you don’t see it yet. Pray that you will, that you will see it in time. If you never see it, that will be the tragedy. As C.S. Lewis wrote, "It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” Each morning we wake up and must decide what kind of immortals we want to be.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Character Formation: Living Toward Who You Are
Subscribe to:
or 
or
3 comments:
Nicely said, AJ. Only Christ can truly change our being - we cannot do it ourselves. The one change we can make is the decision to allow him to change us.
Excellent, challenging stuff, Ariel, thank you.
This reminds me of the best scene in the (not-that-great and pretty depressing) movie Weather Man, where you see the main character walking down a busy main street, with many other people looking very similar to him. As he talks (as narrator), the other people turn corners, walk into alleys, until at the very end of his monologue, he's walking down main street pretty much by himself.
Here's what he says: "I remember once imagining what my life would be like, what I'd be like. I pictured having all these qualities, strong positive qualities that people could pick up on from across the room. But as time passed, few ever became any qualities that I actually had. And all the possibilities I faced and the sorts of people I could be, all of them got reduced every year to fewer and fewer. Until finally they got reduced to one, to who I am. And that's who I am, the weather man."
Once again I come here and find my very thoughts reflected on this page. Don't you wonder sometimes if you are speaking from your own heart, or if God is giving you the words to speak to others? Well, in this case, He's speaking to me.
Thank you, Ariel, for being His conduit.
Post a Comment