Love Yourself

Loving yourself is not terribly British.  Blowing one's own trumpet or singing one's praises seems unnecessary.

 

We Brits are far more likely to talk ourselves down, to feign 'humility' or 'modesty' by saying that we're not all that good at something actually, or we must have just got lucky.

 

We don't really celebrate ourselves (at least, not out loud for other people to hear us - for fear of seeming arrogant and conceited), and we don't really know how to love ourselves.

 

But until we can love and accept ourselves, we will never be able to truly love others.

 

You can't give something you haven't got.

 

There is an assumption throughout the Bible that we will love ourselves.  And love ourselves well.  In fact, Jesus said that the second most important command was for us to love our neighbours as we love ourselves [Matthew 22:39].

 

Loving ourselves is important.  It is fundamental.  Brene Brown writes,

 

"Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do."

 

And as Carrie Bradshaw says in Sex and the City -

"The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all, is the one you have with yourself."

 

I love this passage in Ephesians about love -

"Mostly what God does is love you.  Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us.  His love was not cautious but extravagant.  He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us.  Love like that."
 

[Ephesians 5:2 MSG]

We can only love like that - giving everything of ourselves to others without trying to get something back - when we are secure in ourselves and when we have accepted God's love for us and have begun to love ourselves.

 

 

 

 

The Power of Perfume

Some people have a really distinctive perfume or aftershave.  Even if I was blindfolded, I would recognise them by their smell (in a good way). 

 

And sometimes this scent seems to relate to their personality or their character - it almost becomes a part of them. 

 

I love wearing perfume and thoroughly enjoy myself in Duty-Free squirting different scents onto those little card strips.  Different smells can evoke different emotions and memories - even of things that we thought were long gone.

 

Scent is powerful.

 

It's always a bit disappointing when you have put perfume on yourself and after a few minutes you can't smell it yourself anymore (this is even more annoying if it's expensive perfume).  But often, other people with whom you come into contact will be able to smell your perfume (and, sometimes, recognise you by the scent).

 

In the same way, the Bible describes our faith in God and our knowledge of Christ like perfume - a sweet-smelling and enticing fragrance.  It is something perhaps imperceptible and unnoticed by us, but something which catches other people's attention.

 

"Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ.  Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance.  Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognised by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life."

 

[2 Corinthians 2:14-16 MSG]

 

An aroma redolent with life.  A scent which bursts and brims and overflows with life.

 

Sometimes, even without us realising it, people will get a 'whiff' of the Kingdom of God and of His glory and grace and love and forgiveness, because of the way we live. 

 

Even when we don't feel particularly 'godly'.  Even when we have doubts and feel discouraged in our faith.  Even when we're not talking about God or 'trying' to share Him in any way.  Even when we mess up and fail. 

 

Because we have Christ living within us, we cannot help but give off this scent - an aroma which invites people to life.

 

 

Do I Really Want To Be A Christian?

Whenever I say the words, "I'm a Christian," in my mind, I can't help silently adding "... Get me out of here!"

 

I blame ITV and the popular programme "I'm a Celebrity".

 

I am a Christian (Get me out of here!), but I don't know that I like the label 'Christian'.  Not because I want to hide what I believe or disguise it somehow, but because over time the word has become corrupted.

 

I think the meaning of 'Christian' is stuck in the 70s: long, untamed hair; rainbow guitar straps; rainbow/tie-dyed t-shirts; the iconic socks-and-sandals combo; people who are overly polite and yet hypocritical; incredibly judgmental and narrow-minded; and yet something of a pushover at the same time.

 

Think the ever-chipper, "Hi-diddly-doodly neighbours!" Ned Flanders in The Simpsons.

 

 

Someone detached from reality and a laughing-stock to most who know him.

 

And I find myself asking Do I really want to be a Christian?

 

If that is what being a Christian looks like, I'm out.

 

And what's more, this image of Christianity - of being a Christian - bears no resemblance whatsoever to Christ - the reason for our faith.

 

I love Jesus because He wasn't a Christian and He wasn't anything like the stereotype we have come to associate with the word "Christian" either.

 

He wasn't polite: He cared more about sharing life-giving truth with people than upsetting their feelings.  He wasn't hypocritical: He literally practised what He preached and loved people as He taught us to.  He wasn't judgmental and narrow-minded: in fact, He was accused of being too liberal by the religious leaders of His time.  He ate with prostitutes and let them wash His feet; He invited a scheming, friendless tax-collector for tea; He crossed social and religious and geographical boundaries when He chatted to a promiscuous, unmarried woman from Samaria.  He healed people who were sick or dying, regardless of whether it was the day of rest.

 

He valued people. 

 

Above all else, He loved and valued and cared for the people He came into contact with. 

 

He wasn't confined by rules or guidelines or rituals.  He was governed and motivated by love.

 

He wasn't controlled by religion.  He was moved by relationship.

 

That's what I want my life to look like, too.  Not the bad-hair, 70's style, stereotypical "Christian", but a life modelled on Christ.  A life which, like His, is motivated by relationship and governed by love.

 

"This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him.  This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.  My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other.  No one has seen God, ever.  But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!"

 

[1 John 4:8-12 MSG] 

 

 

Baking

I have been enjoying another episode of 'The Great British Bake-Off' this evening.  It was another tense round of delicious baked goods.  This week: crackers, chocolate teacakes and gingerbread 'constructions'.

 

The gingerbread 'houses' were particularly impressive: Buckingham Palace, a Roman Colosseum and Big Ben to name just a few. 

 

However, what really caught my attention was the crackers.

 

There was a lot of discussion and deliberation about whether or not yeast should be used in the dough.  Contestants were undecided about whether or not to add it, because it would make the dough rise and would perhaps prevent their crackers from achieving a distinctive 'crack' when snapped.

 

Because yeast changes things.

 

Mark Greene writes in 'Imagine' -

 

"Christ's transforming Spirit is intended not only to affect everything we do but all our being - mind, body, emotions, will, spirit - like yeast pervading the whole loaf.  whole-loaf Christianity rejoices in the senses [...] Whole-loaf, whole-life Christianity is honest, open, vulnerable.  It does not censor the agony of broken relationships, the bewilderment of unanswered questions, the struggle of work, the scandal of death, the impact of evil on ourselves or those around us.  In sum, whole-loaf, whole-life Christianity embraces the wonders and griefs of humanity in all its fullness in God's world."

 

Later on, he writes,

 

"The parable of the yeast adds another vital dimension: 'The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all the way through the dough.'  Yeast not only pervades the dough, yeast transforms it into something much tastier and much more satisfying - into bread." [emphasis mine]

 

When we encounter Jesus, we encounter something - someone - who changes us.  Someone who transforms us through the work of His Spirit.  Someone who transforms us into something better.

 

Paul describes the transforming work of the Holy Spirit like this -

 

"He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard - things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity.  We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.  We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely."

[Galatians 5:22-23 MSG]
 

 

This is the kind of transforming 'yeast' I want working through every area of my life.

 

 

 

Remind Me Who I Am

Today I overheard someone say to their friend, "Just be who you usually are.  Be yourself."

How often do we need to hear those words ourselves?

It is so tempting to change or alter or refine or disguise ourselves in different circumstances.  When we are with different friends, when we are with colleagues, when we meet someone for the first time, when we chat to our family, when we talk to our boss, when we are at an interview, when we are on a date, when we are with confident people, when we are with quiet people, when we are with intelligent people, when we are with fashionable people, when we are at church, when we are at the pub, when we are at the supermarket, when we are in a club, when we are by ourselves.

We can have so many different versions of ourselves that sometimes we forget who the original is, we forget how to "just be who you usually are."  Sometimes we get so caught up  in looking for ourselves in different ways and in different places, that we forget what it means to really be ourselves. 

We forget who we are.

But the Bible says that we are uniquely created and designed by God, we are His masterpieces [Ephesians 2:10].

So instead of adapting ourselves in different circumstances and with different people, let's work on finding out who we really are and celebrating and embracing that.  Discovering our true identity in Christ and not comparing ourselves to anyone else.

"So since we find ourselves fashioned into all of these excellently formed and marvellously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't."

[Romans 12:6, MSG]

These are the words of one of my favourite songs - Jason Gray "Remind Me Who I Am".  Beautiful and so profound.

When I lose my way,
And I forget my name,
Remind me who I am.
In the mirror all I see,
Is who I don't wanna be,
Remind me who I am.
In the loneliest places,
When I can't remember what grace is.

Tell me once again who I am to You,
Who I am to You.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You.
To You.

When my heart is like a stone,
And I'm running far from home,
Remind me who I am.
When I can't receive Your love,
Afraid I'll never be enough,
Remind me who I am.
If I'm Your beloved,
Can You help me believe it.

Tell me once again who I am to You,
Who I am to You, whoa.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to You.
That I belong to You.
To You.

I'm the one you love,
I'm the one you love,
That will be enough,
I'm the one you love.

Tell me once again who I am to You.
Who I am to You.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You, oh.

And this is a brilliant website about who the Bible says we are in Christ- http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=knowing_who_i_am_in_christ