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A rabbi named Zusya died and went to stand before the judgment seat of God. As he waited for God to appear, he grew nervous thinking about his life and how little he had done. He began to imagine that God was going to ask him, "Why weren't you Moses or why weren't you Solomon or why weren't you David?" But when God appeared, the rabbi was surprised. God simply asked, "Why weren't you Zusya?"

-Martin Buber

Much is made of the idea of "being yourself." It sounds good and it sounds free, but what does that even mean? I remember the Goth movement in the 1980s. Teens and young adults dressed and acted against predominant culture by "being themselves." None of them looking around and noticing that among themselves they were "being themselves" in a way that looked just like each other.

The Christian religion has offered the same kind of community - one which set people up as outsiders and distinct from "the world" while working to force compliance and sameness within the church.

But for all we have in common, the oneness and unity we have in Jesus, we are not the same. We are all uniquely gifted and wired. (1 Corinthians 12) You and I are each invited into a discovery of who we are created and wired to be - into our unique embodiment of the way of Jesus. Surely, we should have some things in common as we become more and more like him. (See Galatians 5:22-23) But we embody the fruit of the Spirit in ways that are a unique combination of our gifts, passions, skills, interests, and opportunities.

Today . . . in the midst of the cacophony of voices telling you who you are and what you should be, I pray that you will hear the voice of God whispering into your heart declaring that you are loved. Not the you that you wish you were. Not the you that is defined by your past. Not the you that your parents or spouse expects you to be. Not the you that you feel your church or pastor expect of you. The true you, that you might not even know yet, is loved and cherished and valued by the God of the universe.

And from that place of secure and perfect love, I pray that today you will begin to get glimpses of you God has made you to be.

If you would like to talk about this idea or begin to explore just who the real you is in Jesus, send me a message at jon@covenantchurch.ca. I'd love to connect with you for coffee/tea and begin this conversation!

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