If Anyone Is In Christ

Your Daddy loves to tell this story. Not long after I met him, before he even said he liked me, I was signing a check at the bank when I realized I accidentally signed it Jill Zimanek. A friend who was with me saw the error and said, "Oooo, I'm telling." I have no idea why I signed the check that way. It wasn't like I'd practiced. It just flowed out. A Freudian slip perhaps? I was so embarrassed. I tore up the check and started again.

Of course, here I am all these years later signing everything Jill Zimanek, so perhaps it was just a premonition of things to come. When Jadoosh visited he commented that he didn't understand how a woman could let go of her last name when she got married. He asked, "But don't you lose your identity?" I assured him that I certainly hadn't lost my identity. I knew exactly who I was and where I came from. Then he asked about pride in my maiden name, Lauritzen. Well, of course, I like that name. It was my father's name and is still part of who I am, but I don't believe taking my sweet husband's surname meant I lost my identity. Instead, it let's everyone know to whom I belong.

Different cultures handle that different ways. Some men take the woman's last name. Some folks hyphenate (imagine Lauritzen-Zimanek! Sheesh). Some drop their middle name and place their maiden name there. Some folks never take their husband's name. I know of a woman and man who created their own last name rather than take each others. Guess you could combine the letters. Daddy and I could have been the Lauritizimaneks.Or smooshed our letters up to be the Amizzileekanurts or the Kreemitannulzzans. Yeah, see Zimanek by itself is so much better.

God puts a lot of stock in names. Their meaning is of great importance repeatedly in the Bible. Jesus means "Yahweh saves," Abraham means "Father of Many Nations," and Israel means "Struggles with God." Every time one of Jacob's sons were named, there was a meaning behind it.

Jill means "Youthful," Elizabeth (my middle name) means "God satisfies" or "Oath of God." Lauritzen means son of Laurit (which in turn means "lauryls," a symbol of victory). Zimanek means Simon's son, and Simon means "Hear" or "Listen." So the meaning of my full name "Youthful God Satisfies Victorious Hear. Deep.

Here's the thing though, my identity really isn't in my name. It's Who I belong to. "If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.The old has gone. The new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17) I am a new creation in Christ. No matter whether you call me Mom, Jill, Pumpkin, Precious, Jillbeth, Jilly, Sissypoo, Jill Elizabeth, Aunt Bib, Mrs. Zimanek, Mrs. Jill ... I am still a Christian. And to me that is the most important identity of all.

Names are important. And the meaning behind them, likewise. But our identity ... that comes in Christ. 

Discussion: What does your name mean? What are some names you go by? Are name meanings important to you? What is important to you about your identity?

Prayer: Father, we thank You for the names we have. We thank You for the new creation you have made us, thanks to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, may we live up to the identity we have in Him. In His name we pray, Amen.

No Question

I have a Christian fish on my car. And a Bible verse (Deut. 6:5). And a cross hanging from my rearview mirror. And a bumper sticker of The River, Christian radio station. And a decal that says He>i. When you see my car, you should have no question the driver is a Christian.

There is a cross hanging outside our home. There are crosses all over the inside and Bibles in just about every room. There are Bible verses hanging on the walls and oftentimes Christian music playing in the stereo. When you come into our home, you should have no question Christians live here.

This should be the same case when you meet us ... you should have no question when watching us and speaking to us that we are Christians. We want it to be obvious. If someone accuses us of being Christian, we hope there will be plenty of evidence. And not just "Oh, she wears a cross necklace" or "They go to church every Sunday" or "I've caught him reading her Bible." We would prefer people catch us in the act of being a Christian. Loving someone, serving others, letting our speech reflect our faith.

We are living in a culture perpetually pulling us away from what God has called us to be ... reflecting those Fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as found in Galatians 5:22-23. Are you loving? Are you peaceful? Are you generous? Are you kind? Are you joyful? Are you patient? Are you faithful? Do you have self-control? Are you gentle? There may be one or more of those that you will say "no" to ... well, then, work on it.

We will have countless opportunities within our marriages and in our daily life to blow it. To not be godly. To not reflect Christ. We need to reach beyond our human failings and strive to be what God expects of us. We need to catch our minds when they traverse into spiritually unhealthy areas. We need to stop ourselves before we respond in unrighteous anger. We need to "take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). Stop inappropriate responses and words from leaving your lips. Quash feelings of jealousy. Forgive over and over again. Love our enemies and pray for them. Care for the poor and sick. Visit the lonely. Love, love, love, love, love.

It doesn't matter what you stick on your car, hang in your house or wear on your body. What matters is what people see in you. The old hymn says, And they'll know are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love." Let there be no question.

Discussion: What evidence can people give to prove you are a Christian? Which of the Fruits of the Spirit do you need a little work on?

Prayer: Father, let not just our outward appearance, but also our inward heart be an advertisement of Your great love. Father, every day is a challenge. Help us remember to take our thoughts captive to You, praise and glorify You. In Jesus, Amen.

I am a C. I am a C-H. I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N.

If you are a Christian, act like one. Not just in church on Sunday. Not just in your small group. Be a Christian 24/7. Because people are watching you.

We bring this up because we have heard recently of several folks within churches who are certainly not behaving as if they belong to Christ. We have heard of a church were gossiping is a major problem, dividing the church. We know of another where people are bending sins listed in Scripture to suit their choices. We know of people in churches who are holding grudges against another, not forgiving those they feel have wronged them. And I know of a woman who called someone in church a foul name when another woman disagreed with her. In the church!

Christ gave us so many examples of how to live. He was gentle, compassionate, trustworthy, humble, wise and bold. Colossians chapter 3 has one of my favorite passages of Scripture that I have heard read at a number of weddings. It says, "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

We are called Christians because it means "little Christs." If we are not behaving as such, we sure aren't giving the moniker "Christian" a very good name. People are watching our behavior to see if we will conduct ourselves as we are supposed to.

This means no cussing, no lying, no stealing, no lewdness. And like we said, not just in church. This means your behavior is as such on the job, at home between the two of you, in school, on the road driving, in sports and any other situation. If you want to have any integrity whatsoever, you need to be who you say you are all the time.

Now that's not to say you won't fail once and awhile, but for Heaven's sake, do not make it a habit. If you call yourself "Christian," act like it.

Discussion: What situations do you find yourself most failing in the Christian behavior department? What are ways you can prevent yourself from falling into those patterns?

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for when our actions do not reflect who You are. Lord, let us write Your Word on our hearts, keep ever before us reminders of Who we belong to and let our behavior show it. In Your Holy Precious Son's name, Amen.