Chameleons, Ying-Yang, and Pigeons

It seems that the ”youthful” years are made up of two main social stages, at least for many people. The first stage is what I like to call the “Chameleon” stage. The main goal of this young person’s existence is to mold with his or her surroundings. ”If the others are wearing it, I’ll wear it. If the others are eating it, I’ll it too. If the others are walking like they’ve had an accident, I walk like that too.”

This stage is without a doubt an exhausting part of life because the trends and norms are constantly changing in that world. What was reality today is but a dream tomorrow, and if you don’t role with the punches, you’re going to end up showing up in classroom in YESTERDAY’S fashion. (Gasp!) “Dude! That is SO last year’s sweater!”

The second stage is just about the exact opposite of the first one. It is what I affectionately refer to as the “Ying-Yang” stage. If the rest of the world is black, the person going through this stage must be white. If they’re going East, this person must go West. It’s the strongly individualistic stage that has been characterised by large movements and trends in our past Western history. The 60’s, for example. Think free, be different, find yourself, be your own boss, don’t take orders from no one, think outside the box, be free man! (For those who are having convulsions over my last grammatical errors, I assure you it was done on purpose.)

 

 

Note that these stages can mix and merge and they have no reason or rhyme to them. In addition to this, although I have been referring to the teenage years, these stages can appear at anytime in life. (while some never emerge from them. You may have seen them around…grandfathers on Harley’s and mom’s in miniskirts.) Luckily most people get through these stages in one piece and end up not wanting to be completely different or completely the same as everyone else.

 Now, here is the million dollar question. (KA-CHING!) What are Christians supposed to be? Comformists? Rebels? Lay down? Stand up? Go with the flow? Confront and fight? At what stage do Christians find themselves at today? Just stop and think about it for a second…                                              

What do you most strive and struggle to achieve > looking and sounding and being like others (music, clothes, language, interests, hobbies, work, etc) or being different?

I think that Christians in ages past have walked into both traps of extreme Chameleon behaviour and extreme Ying and Yang behaviour. Some have sold all their belongings and moved out into the mountains to be away from the cities, others have used each and every swear word known to man, on a regular basis,  while attended church each week. So what’s the answer? Is it balance or is it extremities?

 

Well, here is where the argument “Christianity calls people to be robots who mindlessly follow anything” argument kind of takes a fall. God asks his disciples to use their brains and be wise.

“See, I am sending you out as sheep amoung wolves. Therefore, be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.” (Matthew 6:10)

Jesus is asking his followers to use the wisdom and experience which He gives them along the way to discern what is the best balance in their lives. If you can come in contact with more people and be of a greater blessing, without putting yourself in harms way, then mingle with your surroundings! And if we sometimes find that certain situations or decisions place us under the tendency of temptation, then we must find another way to contextualise our faith.

It is possible to achieve the serpent-dove balance; not being a conformist to the world’s ways, and not being an aggressive and judgemental Christian. But we need the Lord’s insight and help. We need him to point out the tendencies for pitfalls, and the hidden passages to ways of being lights in this place and time. We need neither hide away in the wilderness, nor conform to the sins and darkness of our society.  In the world but not of the world; A Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream with a DIFFERENT flavour!

It’s time for Christians to put aside the endless internal conflict surrounding the ”conservatism” vs. “liberalism” balance; the oldies against the teens; the organ versus the drums; the nun-outfit versus the mini-skirt. Our God is a CREATIVE God and He manages to work through so many different channels and forms. Is He controlled and manipulated by culture or trends?

 He is always looking for new and exciting ways of reaching the hearts of men with His Good News. Let’s refrain from turning Christians into bad news…celebrate diversity, while strengthening a core identity.

In the wise words of Gus from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding:

“So today here, we have apples and oranges.  We all different now but in the end we’re all fruit.”