Change We Can Believe In

I think there's a fundamental misconception about Christianity out there that I'd like to address.

One common criticism of Christianity is that it requires some people to become who they are not, forcing them to give up their "authentic self" to satisfy a God who apparently doesn't love them for who they are. Many looking for religion in their lives (or basic priorities by which to live, religious or otherwise) are trying to find a "good fit." The question becomes, "What works well with who I am, what I want, and where I'm going?"

Let me be clear to all seekers out there, to anyone interested in possibly, maybe, at some point looking into that Jesus guy; to all of those people who have grown up learning about that Jesus and are trying now to decide for themselves what a Christian lifestyle looks like; to all non-believers who look to scrutinize the faith and search for flaws; to all of you, and to the Christians trying to fit Christ into their lives, I say this: you absolutely must be willing to give up your "authentic self" to follow Christ.

Realistically, following Christ doesn't "fit" anybody. And that's really the point. Christ is offering you something vastly different than what you have now. The offer, but also the requirement, is that you become a completely different person. You cannot be who you are now, find Christ, and then not change. And you won't want to.

If you don't want to change, Christianity is not for you. Christ is not in the business of taking you as you are and letting you stay that way. Nor is he in the business of finding a way to fit into your existing life, of taking up a tiny corner that still has some room, of being taken out at convenient times and put back away when the singing and clapping is over. Following Christ will never be a convenience. You are told to put to death your "self" and all its longings, live sacrificially for the benefit of those who at best don't know you and at worst persecute and hate you. You are told to submit - to parents, then to your spouse, also to your boss and your government.

People seem shocked by this and cite it as a reason to avoid the faith. But how shocking is it? What can you really achieve in life without becoming a different person? Personally, when I was in high school, I wanted to be an athlete. That required me to be a vastly different person - I had to become stronger, more aggressive, more skilled, and tougher mentally. I did this through a lot of hard work and repetition of activities that usually weren't a lot of fun. I did all of this so I could go from being a terrible athlete to at least an average one. When I recount that story, nobody is thinking, "How unfair! Why did you have to become something different than yourself to get what you wanted? Why didn't your coaches just value you for who you are? This is outrageous and bigoted!"

I had to become something different than what I was in order to be a teacher, a marathon runner, a husband, a father, an assistant basketball coach, and a user of power tools. I had to change, grow, adapt, etc. in order to be successful. When I refused to adapt, when I tried to be "who I am" with the same skills and knowledge and priorities, I failed. No one is shocked by this. This is how life works. The Christian faith is only slightly different.

With Christ, the offer is not success. The offer is eternal happiness and contentment. It's not comfort or money or praise, but it is a chance to be better and more joy-filled than through any other offer, anywhere. No, Christianity will not fit your lifestyle. It will not embrace who your "authentic self" is.

Christ wants much more than that for us.