Who do you say Jesus is in your life? 6 words or less?

by Heidi Jakoby


Thanks to Kari I had many great ideas for this week’s Bread for your journey. We have been talking a lot about who we are, as Christians, as job seekers and people trying to discern God's call to us. This week I took us back to some childhood characters, Tigger, Eeyore and the Velveteen Rabbit. What do these have to do with our text for this week Mark8:27-37? You can connect to the readings through this link.

http://breadforyourjourney.blogspot.com

Identifying who we are is a difficult process. When you join face book you are asked to put in a short bio. What I have noticed about these bios is that they are mostly positive. How would you describe yourself in the most positive way? But like all people we all have many layers to ourselves some positive and some not so positive. It is often easy for me to identify my positive traits and publish them to the world but it is difficult to publish my struggles and insecurities. I don't mind sharing them in small groups but not on my face book page.

It is interesting when Jesus asks "Who do the people say I am?" and he receives a variety of answers. Who would the people around you say you are? Would it be the same or different from how you define yourself? Would these insights help you to discover your real self?

Jesus goes on to say that "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way to saving yourself, your true self."

Can you know your true self without some suffering or struggle? I think it is difficult to know who you truly are deep inside and to be open and honest about all aspects of yourself. Part of this difficulty comes from the fact that all of our relationships and experiences influence who we are. We are always changing. The other two readings I selected speak to how we choose to live our lives.

Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore? (The Last Lecture) As we discussed this question I discovered that I don't necessarily want to be one or the other but to live in the tension between the two. In order to accompany someone in joy and in sorrow you need to have experienced both and be able to flow from joy to sorrow. Each new day presents us with a choice about what to do and whether to be optimistic or pessimistic. I believe as we serve and help others we learn more about ourselves and how we approach each day, and this awareness helps us to grow.

The idea of being real truly real flows from the children’s book The Velveteen Rabbit. In the reading from the Velveteen Principles Toni describes an elderly couple who see each other clearly they know who they truly are and know what it means to be real. They are not putting on airs for anyone they are present in the moment and in one another’s life.

So who are you and do you know your real self? If not think about 10 words you would use to describe yourself?

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

Don't forget to join us next week for Bread for your journey.

Where in the story are you?

Which Disney prince/princess are you? What character from the Wizard of Oz? What Pokémon are you? which Jane Austin hero/heroine? which one from the Twilight saga? and on and on it goes… the list of quizzes you can take.

Next thing you know, they'll have a quiz to see which quiz is most revealing of your TRUE identity.

No one likes quizzes in school, so how come people like them so much on Facebook? (other social networking sites, too?)

Why do we do these quizzes when we’ve got so many real things we’re supposed to be doing? It’s more than just a fun diversion, don’t you think? Is it that we like to figure ourselves out? or we like to proclaim who we are for all the world to see?

Lots of them have to do with seeing what character you are in a particular story. When stories really get to us, really move us, we like to put ourselves right into the action, the character development, the drama… so we can get lost in it all, or maybe get found…

You know, I haven’t seen a quiz yet that asks, “Which character from the story of Jesus’ resurrection are you?” And I’m intrigued by the prospect. It’s a wild story. And putting yourself into it could be revealing. Easter is too important a holiday to let it go by after you’ve eaten enough chocolate eggs. How do you put yourself into this great drama of life-giving death and tomb-busting new life? (click on the title of this post to read one eye witness account)

Is there anyone out there who has seen such a quiz already? anyone who wants to create one? I’m planning to make one in the next 2 days, but it’s very possible you could do a much better job than I, so do let me know. Or just let me know your ideas and I’ll include them.

This Thursday night, ‘by the way’ is hosting our weekly gathering at the Crowne Plaza… and we’ll be putting ourselves into the resurrection story, seeing where we fit in and what the story can reveal about us (and about the God who’s the main character of the story). I’m really looking forward to it. Whether you live nearby or far, far away, I hope you can join in this conversation. Any thoughts that my questions here have shaken loose in you, please share…

Emitting Easterjoy,

Kari

Just who do you think you are?

Just who do you think you are?

Does anyone make it through life without having some impassioned person ask them that question? Whether it’s asked by a teacher or a parent, a colleague who disagrees with you, or just a pushy bully, it’s a question that stops you in your tracks, or tries to anyway.

Suddenly you’re vulnerable. Your identity is hanging out there in the air. Undefined. Challenged. Waiting.

Do you ever hear anyone say the opposite?

Just who do you think I am?

The one who asks this question is opening him-or-herself up for whatever may come. Unarmed. But still strong, confident... while his/her identity is floating in space, waiting for someone to snatch it up, take a look, make a comment.

There’s a great story of Jesus’ teaching exploits (click on the title of this post to read the passage) in which he invites his students to take a swipe at his identity. He takes them out for a walk, about a 16 mile walk, from the safety of home turf into the eeriness of the enemy’s land, where strange gods are worshiped in strange ways. And your God is nowhere to be seen, or so it seems.

Just who do you think I am? comes the question, from Rabbi Jesus to his walking-buddy students. Star pupil Peter grabs the chance to define the one he follows: You’re the messiah, Jesus, the one who’s saving us. You're the one who connects us to the living God!

Peter’s got it exactly right. He’s so right that Jesus is sure that God’s own voice is speaking through Peter, that Peter couldn’t possibly have done it on his own.

But the mood of the moment abruptly shifts when Jesus starts saying exactly what it means to be the messiah of the living God. Talk about vulnerability… Being identified as the messiah is not a power trip at all. It means giving up power, at least the way that the world thinks of power.

It means loving till it hurts, giving yourself away completely, being so connected to the all-giving God that you’d do anything to get others connected. Even if that means suffering, dying, and relying totally on God to raise you back up. Peter doesn’t deal well with this. He wants to define Jesus’ identity in his own way: plugged into God’s power but protected from the dangers Jesus sees coming. Peter eventually figures it all out, but for now, he’s left hanging. His own identity as Jesus’ follower has been shaken. But sometimes you need to have your assumptions shaken, on the road to figuring out who you are.

Teacher Jesus, I ask you today: Who do you think I am? How do you see me fitting into your scheme of things? Give me some clues, open my eyes, show me who I am and how I can be your follower. Pour your power into me, so I can love the world you so love. Give your life to me, so I can give my life to others.

~ Kari Henkelmann Keyl