This past week on the news there was an interesting story about a piece of property in the fastest growing area for new house builds in our area. Property prices are through the roof and some couple had bought their piece of Earth. It was time to dig down and lay the foundation and guess what they found? Artillery shells from WWII. Not quite what they expected.
Now you all know how I am, and if you don't, well you will soon. When I hear things like this it gets me thinking about other digging stories and how it all applies to our life in Christ. If we did down deep into our past we often find things far worse than artillery shells. These are the things that often hold us back and keep us from being who were created to be in Christ. I just read this past week that our self image is almost completely formed by the time we are in the second grade. Now I have not done a lot of follow up research on this, but it sure seems about right. Many of our parents and teachers had good intentions but let's face it, they each made mistakes. Sarah and I try to breath and speak confidence into Douglas so he will believe that he is special and important and can do anything he sets his mind toward. Yet we are not perfect and we pray that those mistakes made by us will be covered in grace and he will have a healthy self image. Many of us still hear the voices of an authority figure in our past saying words like,"You are stupid, You are no good, You are not as pretty as ________, you will never amount to anything, I wish I had never had you....etc."
The sad part is in many of these situations, those people are not even alive anymore so that we can clear the air and start over again. The voices from the past can be haunting if we keep listening to them. When you look in that mirror, what is your first thought? Negative? Artillery shells indeed!
I read another story about digging this past March. It made me laugh and smile.
(AP) Matt White, a journeyman pitcher trying to make the Los Angeles Dodgers, could become baseball's first billionaire player. It has nothing to do with his arm. He owns a rock quarry in western Massachusetts. White, who has appeared in seven big league games in nine professional seasons, paid $50,000 three years ago to buy 50 acres of land from an elderly aunt who needed the money to pay for a nursing home. While clearing out a couple acres to build a home, he discovered stone ledges in the ground, prompting him to have the property surveyed. A geologist estimated there were 24 million tons of the stone on his land. The stone is being sold for upward of $100 per ton, meaning there's well over $2 billion worth of material used for sidewalks, patios and the like. Of course, that doesn't factor in the expenses involved in processing the stone and transporting it for sale. "It sounds bogus even saying those numbers," White said. "I'm just a small town guy trying to get to the big leagues. It's beyond comprehension."
So, there is a positive digging story! But the scripture tells us about more ground and raising and identity.
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Identity is a fragile thing. Do the voices tell you that you are no good and that God cannot love you, care for you and use you? Do they tell you that you are not worthy of the lavishing love of God? Good!! The gospel is that we are not worthy, we are not deserving. But, if we are buried with him we are raise again to the newness and fullness of life. Christ, in the great exchange on the cross took all our sin and GAVE us his righteousness. We are his children not because we deserve it or merit it, but because he claims us as his own.
For those who accept this gift, this identity, this newness, this fullness we must puss back the voices that tell us to perform, conform and do the dance for acceptance. This is something you and I need to tell ourselves often. Daily may not even be enough!!
There is nothing I can do to make God love me more. There is nothing I can do to make God love me less.
That is the definition of grace that I learned form the Brennan Manning classic, The Ragamuffin Gospel. The church and the world often makes us perform for approval. Jesus has done all the performing that is necessary! Our works should not be approval seeking, but they should be a "thanks" to God for his grace.
This week, dig deeper and find out what the voices are saying. My prayer is that you will know exactly what to tell them when they speak. That is more valuable than billions worth of rock and much more lasting and stable.
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