The Art of Being You
This post is a continuation and the answer to my first post, found here. The question I posed previously was: “What is true cultural relevancy? Is it the clothes you wear or the music you listen to? Does it go beyond the surface? If so, what does it look like? How far should we go?”
Cool or trying to hard?
Rev. Dr. Kong Hee wearing Ed Hardy (on the right)
Evangelist Todd Bentley
To answer this question I believe we must back track a bit and ask the really pressing question as to “What is the goal of a modern day Christian?” I think the modern day believer has two specific goals with two specific but interrelated messages.
Two goals of a modern day believer, that must be held in tandem–1.) to be relevant to their culture in order to pass on the gospel and the message of the Kingdom and 2.) to influence their surrounding culture with Kingdom culture. (I will address these two as separate topics)
If I were to address all these things right now, this post would be a hundred scrolls long, so let me address the cultural relevancy part first. Please read on….
TRANSVESTITES…My inspiration.
I was looking for something to inspire me to write this post. Walking around Singapore, I didn’t have to wait too long before I encountered a bunch of transvestites preying on unsuspecting sailors. They usually all come out at night and stand outside the mall/complex around the touristy part of the city to try to lure foreigners and drunken men. I tried to snap a pic but it was difficult cause they were just loitering and staring down all passerbyers. One of the trannys was particularly spectacular looking. I swear he was a she. He…she..shim…looked amazing and I had to sneak extra glances just to make sure I wasn’t mistaken. I heard one of the other tranny’s call her Jack (probably short for Jaqueline). Imagine the poor cracker that fell for Jack. This is the kind of “surprise inside” you don’t want to find.
Anyway, when I went home, I started researching transvestites in Singapore and around South East Asia and I found that the transvestite and transgenedered community is quite large, organized, and continues to grow. They even have a beauty pageant every year called, “Miss Tiffany Universe” held in Pattaya,Thailand. Below is a picture of some of the contestants last year. These are men, folks.
These are men at the the Miss Tiffany Pageant (Transvestite Beauty Pageant)
Winner of 2011 Miss International Miss Tiffany from Korea!
Below is this year’s winner of MIss Tiffany Pageant and shim is from South Korea. Behind shim is last year’s winner from Japan. Isn’t it amazing?
As I deepened my research into transvestites, I discovered that behind the apparent glitz, glamor, and smiling face is a disorder that psychologists term, “gender identity disorder.” This disorder is defined as, “a condition in which a person has been assigned one gender (usually at birth), but identifies as belonging to another gender. The individual may identify with the opposite sex to the point of believing that they are, in fact, a member of the other sex who is trapped in the wrong body. Adults with gender identity disorder sometimes live their lives as members of the opposite sex. They tend to be uncomfortable living in the world as a member of their own biologic or genetic sex. They often cross-dress and prefer to be seen in public as a member of the other sex. Some people with the disorder request sex-change surgery” (Source: Click Here for full article).
Without going into a discussion and stating my position on gay, lesbian, and transgender issues and Christianity, I really just want to highlight the identity issues that these individuals obviously deal with. While, I cannot comment on the struggles they face, I can state that they obviously have a problem being themselves and want to be another gender so badly, that they are willing to pay a money and endure pain to become a woman. Like the article states, they are “uncomfortable living in the the world as a member of their own biologic or genetic sex.” This lead me to wonder, how many Christians today also face identity issues and are uncomfortable living in the world as their true selves? This leads me to the topic of my post today on cultural relevancy and the foundational need for the modern Christian to know their identity.
It is easy to be culturally relevant just to relate to culture. Many non-Christians do it all the time and some very good at it! Just ask Kim Kardashian, Madonna, and Steve Jobs. However, for a Christian, you CANNOT be culturally relevant in a way that is significant to the Christian world, IF you don’t know who you are and living a life of being yourself.
Sean Combs? P.Diddy? Puffy? Puff Daddy? Make up your mind!
Are you Ken? Or are you Barbie?
The artist formerly known as Prince, formerly known as the symbol, now known as Prince again!
Cultural relevancy has, at times, been reduced to a Christian buzz word, because many Christians think its about being trendy or about copying someone popular. I recently read a great post by Pete Wilson where he talks about the importance of knowing who you’re not. He writes, “I think it’s painfullly obvious that way too many Christian (leaders) are attempting to live a life that is not true to who they are.” You can read the whole post here. When we get to Heaven, God’s not going to ask, “Why weren’t you more like Andy Stanley, Rob Bell, or Francis Chan?” He may ask though, “why weren’t you more like you?”
So, how does “you, being you” relate to culture relevancy?
In order for Evangelism to “work”, it has to be about releasing people into knowing their true identity in Christ and the destiny/purpose for their lives (This is not limited to evangelism…it could be for Christian renewal/revival, as well). Because you are the medium for this message, this knowledge must begin with you so that you can relate to others when they journey thru the discovery of identity and purpose. What better way to be culturally relevant than to help people answer the question that is at the core of their most basic desires–identity and purpose. Therefore, cultural relevancy’s foundation must begin with and must be about identity discovery and releasing people into their destiny.
However, the art of “being you” needs to be defined. “Being you” is NOT:
1. Being Yourself does NOT mean….Stubbornly refusing to change. Ex. “This is the way I am, I am not going to jump when I worship because that is just not me.” There is a difference between conviction and being stubborn.
2. Being Yourself does NOT mean…. Being afraid to try new things. Ex. “I have always done things this way, I do not really want to try a new way.”
3. Being Yourself does NOT mean….You are living in and with Shame. At the root of shame is the idea and can simply be defined as, “there is something wrong with me.” The beauty industry maximizes on this! Billions of dollars are spent every year on make-up. This is sad because what women are essentially saying is that naturally (sans makeup) we don’t look as good than if we were done up. Therefore, without make-up there is something wrong with face. By the way, I am not saying do not wear makeup. If you like it, wear it. However, I do want you to think about it.
4. Being Yourself is NOT….An excuse to continue to live a life of sin. Ex. You know what I am talking about.
5. Being Yourself does NOT mean….NOT Dealing with your brokenness and the issues surrounding it.
“Being you” is definitely an art form and it requires much persistence and patience to uncover what has been hidden all these years. Being you involves truly feeling good about yourself in your own skin. As I pursue the art of being myself, I ascertain that the elements behind truly “being you” must be:
Just be Yourself!
The Signs of a “True YOU”
1. Freedom (with healthy boundaries).
2. Transparency and willingness to show vulnerability.
3. Alignment of public and private life. No double lives.
4. Security in your identity in Christ.
5. A destiny and purpose in life.
6. An intimate knowledge of God’s love.
7. Not based on ‘performance’ of any kind. You are just being, not doing and performing.
8. Your life is not a series of reaction to events. You are not governed by external circumstances, but held steady by your core values and beliefs.
Who are you? What is your destiny?
Scripture tells us that a nation perishes without a vision. A nation does not perish without the latest Justin Bieber t-shirt or the year’s most coveted mascara. So, as is with the individual. The clothes we wear, the slang we use, are mere fleeting shadows of trends that die as quickly as they come. However, if we live a life that is seeped in God’s love and destiny, and then subsequently, release others into God’s love and his destiny for their lives, then we become the CATALYST for transformation. That, my friend, is as culturally relevant as it gets, because we walk the walk that everyone wants to walk. In fact, its not even a walk…its a swagger.
You walking the walk? You got the real swagger?
In summary, if you are seeking to evangelize to the culture that you currently live in now, what you wear or your “look” might get their attention, but it is God’s love that keeps them coming back and staying. It starts with you…are you being the “True You”? What hinders you from being a CATALYST to your culture? What steps can you take to overcome and breakthrough? Do you got the swagger?
I’ve got CATALYST on my mind and so should you.
Coming up….
3 Part series on my trip to Malaysia. I’ve been a little AWOL because I have been away, so stayed tuned for some adventure, interesting sights, FOOD, and of course, some catalyst combos.
Where is Emily Lim? 
Hi Pastor Emily, you are a great blogger! Keep it up.