Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday June 20, 2011

A man explained his actions thusly; "It's who I am, and thats it man." This sounds like a profound statement, but were you to settle for such a statement as the definer of your life, you might as well lie in the grave and wait to be covered with earth.

Being "who you are" is most often a mask to cover an inward wish to be free to do your own thing with no regard for the negative effect on others, many of whom are innocent.

The man’s arrogant statement comes across in many and varied forms, all which somehow blame behavior on someone or something else besides their own choices and thus their current situation. "I was born this way," is the mantra that covers behavior from murder to molesting children to rotten attitudes.

Lest you get the idea this is a religious rant I want to remind you of what humanist Psychiatrist Carl Rogers said years ago:

"The only person who is educated is the one who has learned to learn and change."

Has it ever occurred to you that refusing the truth of the necessity of "change" is to deny the core teaching of the entire Bible. That the Bibles teaches the necessity of change is one primary reason for the intense hatred of the book by those who do not want to change, but who want to continue current choices and somehow get the benefit of different results.

Christian businessman, Wheaton/Hope colleges, Max DePree wrote:

"In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining who we are."

Rogers and DePree are worlds apart on many things, but one thing I have found, "all truth is ultimately, biblically correct, and you find it in many places." Thus, the inclusion of quotes from Rogers and DePree, though each work from different foundations. (Rogers on sand and DePree on solid rock).

To grow from babyhood to full maturity is a lifelong journey as stated in 1 Peter 2:2:

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Rogers somehow grasped this truth when he wrote:

"The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination."

So, how are you growing?

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2011 Use with credit

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