Much to my delight, we are edging into the 2024 Autum season at breakneck speed. This time of year, is rightfully nicknamed Fall, because yes, you all know, the wind is blowing, and the leaves are falling. I have already had to rake a few leaves around our house, and there will be around eighty more large bags full in the coming months; however, I really enjoy the changing of the seasons. Another wonderful feature that is blown in by the Fall weather is the opportunity to have a change of wardrobe. We choose Fall colors and heavier fabrics as opposed to our lightweight pastels and bright summer colors. We pull our boots, hats, scarves, and sweaters out of the mothballs and we are once again invigorated with the new, though old, choices, if we can still fit into them, of course. This may also give us an excellent excuse to go out and buy a few added items to add to the mixture. We might even choose a darker hair color and begin to allow our hair to grow a little longer in the cooler months. The changing of the seasons is an exciting time.
This time of year, I begin to dream of day trips on our motorcycle to see all the beautiful leaves turning colors, making the terrain a splendid canvas for God to paint on. Another question that I begin to contemplate immediately as September sets in, is what pumpkin patch can we take the grandchildren, affectionately called ‘grandies’ to, this year. I enjoy going to different farms to see what they may offer as fun activities for the kids. Alas, I think I have already exhausted all the farms closest to us, so we may be doing a repeat visit to one of them this year. Halloween comes to mind as well when the decorating for Fall season begins, with thoughts of spooks, skeletons, spiders, webs, costumes, hay bales, haunted houses, trick or treating, and candy corn. Close on its heels we run straight into Fall breaks from school and Thanksgiving. This brings daydreams of bonfires, turkey and dressing, hunting, family, feasts, and all things pumpkins. You can find just about anything and everything pumpkin spiced at this time of the year.
If you have not guessed it already, let me disclose the personal motto I hold dear and share with others whenever I can. It is, “Variety is the Spice of Life!” Considering all the things I have stated about Fall, which could be said of all the seasons, the sounds, smells, sights, and changes, I think that this might be quite close to the heart of God as well. There are no two seeds, trees, leaves, blades of grass, people, or fingerprints that were created the same. Volumes could probably not contain all the information about all of creation that are diverse. Animal species after species have been written about for centuries, but new ones are still being discovered. Plant life, land, rivers, mountains, oceans, and mankind have also had their representation in Encyclopedias that line the shelves of libraries and homes, but not all have yet been discovered or told of the diversities that exists in these and other categories. How is it then that people still do not embrace the fact that we are not meant to be cookie cutters of each other? If you stop a full second to think of this, you will realize that not even one cookie out of a full batch of cookies, from the same batter, scooped with the same spoon, baked on the same cookie sheet, will ever turn out exactly the same. What an amazing thought!
An issue that has always stood out to me is that of peer pressure. You can find people of every age, nationality, race, and creed who are searching. What are they searching for, you may ask? Their own identity! With social media becoming increasingly prevalent in our society, the “self” in the form of selfies is more to the forefront than ever before, and though people will hit the “like” button for so many posts, they do not like themselves. We have rising problems anywhere from mild depression to suicide, bullying to self-depravation, teen pregnancy, and drug and alcohol abuse. The list is never ending, and it affects us all. Due to the invention of the internet making us seem so close when we are really so far; this has become an issue on an international scale.
Identity crisis is a social issue of epic proportion that is becoming more of a problem not only in our local communities, but globally. As people travel more, relocate, and become involved with technology and media more, they are feeling pressure to conform and be like their peers or those they perceive to be peers even if they are thousands of miles away. But what we all need to learn is that it is okay to be different; variety is the spice of life!
People everywhere have a longing to fit in, not realizing that confidence is built from within, not from without. Because of diverse upbringings, cultures, economic and social backgrounds, and so much more, folks will never be exactly the same. In trying to become the same, they become even more different because they force the ones that they are emulating to want to be different and so the vicious cycle continues. For example, young people see others that have tattoos and think, “Oh, how cool! I think I will get one too!” So, the ones they have copied then feel they have to ‘one-up’ them and get another larger, brighter, or more radical tattoo, and so it perpetuates the problem. In working in a foreign country as a young girl I remember my folks saying regarding our missionary endeavors, “We want to make them Christ-like, not Americans.”
Not only are the ones that are insecure responsible for this ongoing problem, but those who are trying to perpetuate this concept, beginning in our homes, schools, work places, and churches, yes, even churches. Are parents trying to live vicariously through their kids? Are schools trying to make cookie cutter students? Are work places trying to make robots? Are churches trying to play God? Not even children raised in the same home are alike, how can we expect people from diverse backgrounds, homes, nationalities, socio-economic environments, educational status, and races to be even closely similar? We are all equal as humanity, but so vastly different in personality and mannerisms, which should be simply fine! That is how it is supposed to be, that is how we were created to be.
The notion of ‘who am I?’ is brought on by fear of not being loved, embarrassment, personal insecurities, feelings of inferiority, and simple discontent. When you look back in history at some of the greats such as Gandhi or Mother Theresa who really made a difference in the world, they are known for their wisdom, service, sacrifice, and humanitarian acts of kindness, and yet they stood out as being different from the rest of the world and each other. Gandhi was only small and slight in stature and wore only a thin robe, while Mother Theresa wore her black habit daily. They were not top executives in a high profile firm in designer outfits. So why are their lives considered a success? Because they embraced who they were without being on a continual journey of trying to be someone else and never arriving. This sense of peace with themselves, with the world and with God, allowed them to be productive and useful to the world around them. They were not focused on themselves, but on the needs of others.
To continue to strive to be like someone else puts us in a petrified state, because we are living in fear. We are always focusing on ourselves, which could be considered the ultimate form of selfishness. Selfishness is the opposite of selflessness, which is the definition of love. Therefore, no forward motion takes place on things that matter like our goals, dreams, and aspirations. It will only lead to more frustration, failures, and setbacks in our lives, careers, and communities. Subsequently, the self-esteem of these individuals becomes even lower than before, because when we change to be like someone else it often has the opposite effect. We then do not like our ‘new’ selves, thus you see the black hole that we put ourselves in. Our greatest strengths are devalued when we sacrifice our diversity and uniqueness. What then is the answer to this international identity crisis?
Where is that piece of paper that you wadded up and threw into the waste paper basket with the instructions written on it? My husband is notorious for saying, “I don’t need no stinking instructions.” He of course if saying this in jest, yet he nine times out of ten, does not plan to read them. And although I have to say that he is exceptionally talented and has multiplicity of skills which constantly amazes me, reading the instructions often could have sped up the process or at least allowed it to go more smoothly. We have had those times, that most of you will be familiar with, where at the end of the project you are wondering where that extra screw was supposed to go. The instructions we need are written in the Word of God, which we call The Bible.
Getting back to the source from where we came, and reading the manual, the instructions that not only describe us, but tell us how we should live, is always the best way to get things right. Why are we trying to do this on our own, when the word of God has been written down and preserved for us so that we could know what to do and when to do it. I was quite pleasantly surprised a couple of nights ago when I came across a short clip of State Superintendent Ryan Walters from the state of Ohio, stating that they were going to be passing a law that a Bible would be put into every classroom, read, and studied because it is a part of not only history in general, but a part of the history of the United States. All of Walter’s Educational package was approved by Oklahoma’s Governor, Kevin Stitt. What a miracle! Now we can only hope and pray that the other states will follow suit, for not only the historical value, but so that the identity crisis we are facing can begin to mend.
The wonderful things written in this book we call the Bible are there to show us examples from the utterly unique lives and perspectives of those who are written about who faced the same things we face daily. Hebrews 4:12-16 from the New Testament, speaks of these instructions and of Jesus who was God come in the flesh, so that he could die for our sins. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” He went through what we are going through, this earthly life, and understands.
We see in scripture from the Old Testament that David had his moments of searching as well, where he turned to the Lord for assurance and guidance. If you are struggling, put yourself into Psalm 139:1-18 which says, “O lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down sitting and my uprising, you understand my thought afar off. Thou compass my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hides not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well. My substance was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.” Our Creator, who is our Heavenly Father, made us all exactly how we are intentionally, knows everything about us, and loves all of us just the way we are.
Because he is our heavenly father, when we are born again of water and of His Spirit, we take on his name and become rightful heirs to all that he has. No matter where we go, or what we do, he will not disown us. Romans 8:17 says, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” We can see this in Luke 15:11-24 where Jesus tells this story, “A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, how many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no longer worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” We just need to come to our senses, acknowledge who our father is, and make it back to the house, and we will find him waiting and watching for us.
The Bible tells us about the attitude in life we need to have. 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “…godliness with contentment is great gain.” In Phillipians 4:11, Paul the apostle states, “Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Peace and contentment come from within and not from exterior influences. When the void in our soul is filled with a relationship with our Creator who has made us just how he wants us to be, we can have confidence despite our diversities, and our own insecurities. When you are made whole you can then move forward to achieve the greatness that you were hoping for all along. Our diversity will become our greatest strength and asset. It will be a blessing and inspiration of hope to those around us and allow us to be effective in ‘our’ world and the world at large. We have so much to offer. When we acknowledge who our creator is and who our heavenly father is and realize that we are not only made in his image, which is mind blowing, but embrace the fact that we are heirs with Christ as well, we will be unstoppable, not as another person, but as ourselves.
Let us not continue to wallow in self-pity and depression trying to keep up with the Joneses! Let us embrace who and how God has made us and know that it is quite all right to be different! We are enough! Do not let people scare you with their rhetoric about diversity, trying to push weird, ungodly, non-biblical doctrines on you, while they are trying to wrangle words to mean what they want them to mean. Yet, if anyone asks you if you embrace diversity, you can boldly say, yes, because it is essentially variety. Am I right? Which of course is, as we all know, ‘the spice of life!’