Good morning…
I recently happened upon a story about our family stepping out of our old life before stepping into our new one in autumn of 2003.
******
Conform Or Transform? by Sue Allen, on page 39 in Touching Truth: Grasping The Grace of God
As our family moved from a sleepy lifestyle in rural Pennsylvania to the bustling busyness of Atlanta, Georgia, my journal captured a growth spurt. A marker event occurred. As I picked him up after school, our oldest son said, “Mommy, do you have any boxers for me?” Up until this day he had always worn white briefs. Listening further, I learned he was the only boy in his new class wearing “tighty-whities” in gym class.
At home, we searched and found one pair of boxers in the hand-me-down box. They were his size, but flannel. He chose to put up with the discomfort of flannel before winter so that he would fit in with his new classmates. Part of me felt sorrow, sadness that he needed to worry about fitting in, being “liked.” Another part of me knew that adapting one’s behavior to the circumstances at hand will always be part of life’s maturing process. Our son was eight years old, nearly nine, and he wanted to belong in his new town. His daddy and I also wanted him to belong, but we, midlife adults, realized that a loss of innocence accompanies conformity. One’s separate, unique identity can be chipped away by the crowd.
Stepping out of white jockeys to step into boxers was no big deal. At the same time, this change in underwear was a symbol of the struggle we all must face, trying to keep our unique selves intact as we stretch to be in relationship with others.
******
Reading this now, I think, “Why did we go to the hand-me-down box instead of driving up the street to CVS for a new pack of boxers?”
I suppose this is a smidgen of my own transformation into conformity. We came from a walking, hand-me-down town to a drive everywhere, buy-things-new city. There are things lost and things gained as we begin to belong in a new environment. If we are not grounded by the gravity of God, we will forfeit our unique, authentic selves as we stretch to be in relationship with others.
Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful]…So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit]. But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ (Ephesians 4:3, 14-15, AMP).
…Sue…
