DEFINING TO SHAPE OR IS IT SHAPING TO DEFINE?

I ran into one of my young Texas friends recently.  The first thing she said to me was "Wow, look at your guns!"  With a question in my words, I responded, "No there at home, I do not take them out with me usually."  Turns out she was speaking of the muscles in my arms---When did muscles become guns?  I lost something in translation here--because they certainly do not shoot and are not shaped like guns---so WHY GUNS?


Perhaps all those hours of lifting weights are paying off.  Muscles are beginning to show their shape and definition .  That shape was not easy to come by--in fact it took a great deal of really hard work.


Which brings me to today's deep pondering--shape and definition.  Do the events in our lives define who we are or merely shape who we become?  Four AM and this is what I am thinking about---GEES!

I have been married twice--  Does divorced define who I am?  It certainly has shaped how I look at things.  I do not introduce myself as divorced and do not mention my martial status unless asked. 
Both of my parents are gone now--Daddy died when I was fourteen and we lost Momma fourteen years ago.  A child loosing a parent before adulthood certainly shapes their future.  God created us to live in family units, but that is not always the case.  My first marriage at far too young of an age, probably was shaped by the loss of a strong male relationship in my life at such an young age.  I do not mention loosing Daddy or Momma when meeting someone.  They both certainly helped shape who I am today.

Today's devotional came from the scriptures when Paul asked "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman Citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?"  Paul was using the definition of Roman to shape the outcome of his pending flogging.

We all use labels which define us to create advantage in our lives.  The name of the area where we live, the name of the school were we graduated from, our title at work, our honors and awards--at some point we all insert those defining labels to garner favor or impress others.  Too much inserting can backfire and create the exact opposite effect and give us a less desired label of pompous.  

All of this to circle back to the question---Do the events in our life shape who we become or do they define who we are? Thinking---Thinking--Thinking---

MY ANSWER--all the events in my life have shaped who I am today--but none of them--taken alone---define who I am.

When I became a Believer---it began to define who I was.  The years of living, the search of The Word, the wise teaching of many others, and the gentle nudging of The Father have shaped who I am today more than anything else in my life. If I am to be defined by one label only--I pray Believer would be the one. 

This quote was on the newsletter of my former church in Louisiana this week--no co-incidences--all God incidences!


“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.” 
Brennan Manning

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 9:9





2 comments

  1. How true..great post. BTW, I had a good giggle over your "guns" comment. Things shape us, but they don't define us. Good point..and we ll said. Blessings

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOVE for someone to explain why biceps are guns!
      It is over 100 here today--no place sane to be but in the AC or in the pool!

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