Who Are You?

Why do we claim to be something we are not? A cow is always a cow and a horse is always a horse. We humans seem to want to be anything other than what we are. The Bible says "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." 

We must have some mixed up hearts. One day we are kind and loving and the next day harsh and cruel. Some days we claim to be Christian and of holy stock; and the next we look, act, and sound like Satan himself. 

I came to a branch in the road one day and needed to make a choice (act of free will). Would I go to the right or to the left? One way was familiar and easy to see the way ahead. That path was just like the path I had been on all my life. I knew what to expect and was drawn that way.....the easy path. The other choice was completely foreign, unknown and unclear. As I stood still contemplating my options I was unaware that another traveler had stepped up beside me. My gaze was so transfixed on the two paths that I was alone in my own world of thought. When touched by my fellow traveler I jumped and expelled a small shriek, part fear and part joy. Fear because I thought I was alone, and joy because I suddenly wasn't. 

"Hello my friend", He said. "Are you lost?" 

"No, said I, "I am just evaluating my options. As you can see these two paths are very different, and why do you call me friend, we have never met?"

He said, "I see all men as my friend and when I greet you in this way I am declaring my hope to be your friend." 

Good practice, we all need more friends. I may just start doing that myself, you get what you give, you know? 

"By the way", I asked, "have you traveled this way before? I can't seem to decide which path to take." 

"Yes," said He, "many times I have been to this place and made new friends and watched them as they went. Which path is best? That depends on who you are." 

"Who I am?" I ask.  "I am a man of strength, courage, self-determination and able to do anything I set my mind to... that's who I am." 

"If that were true you would have never stopped to consider that second path." 

As these words came from His lips, I was already second guessing my self-evaluation just spoken. 

"Do you really know who you are?" He softly asked. 

"Sure, everybody knows who they are, don't they?" 

"No."  

His one word reply was painful to consider so I thought to change the subject of our discourse. 

"Why is one path so clear and the other the opposite?" I asked. 

He smiled and said, "The clear path is the path you were born on and you know it as well as you know anything because you built that path with your choices." 

"I did a good job in building such a clear and easy road, don't you think?" I said.  "That kind of road should reflect the kind of man I am and show others the proper path." 

"Do you want to know who you really are?" He asked.  "Look back and see where you came from." 

As I looked back the path was crooked, pot-marked, and full of trash. All my sin was exposed and the damage could be seen by all. I thought that I was a good man but the evidence said otherwise. 

"That can't be my path!" I said. 

"Yes, it is," said my new friend. "You have lived a life of sin and done much damage to yourself and others. "

"Why then is the path ahead so clear and easy?" I asked. 

"Because you think that you are something that you are not!"

 A cow is always a cow and a horse is always a horse.  

  

My wife Nancy and I early in my ministry.