Body (Of Christ) Image
A few weeks ago, I posted on some missional wisdom that we could glean from Dr. Phil McGraw. While I meant the post to be in good fun (though still genuinely helpful), I haven’t been able to stop thinking about other parallels in those ever famous “Phil-isms”. Believe it or not, the most impacting book in my life that Dr. Phil wrote was “The Ultimate Weight Solution”, which not only helped me drop nearly 30 lbs, but helped me understand the dynamics my weight problem. As a further endorsement of the book, albeit a sad one for me, is that when I stopped following the very practical and achievable guidelines of the book (resulting in some weight gain), it was for the very reasons he pointed out.
At any rate, this post is not about personal health or weight lose. Rather, there is a lesson I learned on that journey that I believe has application for those of us in the Church. One of the biggest lessons I learned was learning to differentiate between body image and self image. Body image is your view of your body, both positive and negative- I’m too fat, I wish my nose was smaller, I love my ears, etc. Self image is how we perceive and value our whole selves- our identity. The problem is, in our culture, we have too often equated body image as self image. For example, I am fat, therefore unlovable (or the reverse, I am thin and gorgeous, therefore lovable and good). We need to learn to recognize that self image what is most important, as it reflects more truly who we are. This is not to say that we neglect body image, as it can sometimes teach us about ourselves, as well as shows us where we need to grow, heal and work.
We, the Church, are the Body of Christ. What, if anything, can we learn from this simple, yet profound understanding? Body Image is how we view ourselves, both in our own local expressions and larger or external expressions. We can see where we have blemishes, warts and weight gain- be it individualism, materialism or ethnocentricity. We cannot ignore these externals, as they are reflects of what is in our hearts, that which fragments us as a unified missional community of faith- ultimately sin. However, we need to remember an important lesson about Body Image: We are One Body, therefore it serves no one to critique those in other expressions or traditions within Christianity as though they are seperate from ourselves. Unless we are willing to declare others to be outside of the Body, our critique of them is a critique of ourselves. This is not to say we shouldn’t critique/evaluate, but that we do so as an exercise of shared growth and maturity.
Perhaps the most important lessons we can learn we can glean from Self Image. As we are Christ’s Body, not our own, Self Image is drawn not from that which defines ourselves- our identities- but rather from the Person of Jesus Christ. This, I truly believe, is part of what it means to “die to self”- not the eradication of our own God-given individuality, but rather that we draw our deepest and truest shared identity as the Church from who Jesus is. As we do this, suddenly a hopeful eschatology is inevitable, humility in the face of our own human failure is not threatening, and grace is passionately embracive. And it is in the oneness of our His Self that calls us to the unity of the Body.
What are your thoughts? Any other lessons we can learn that I might have missed? Jump in!
Jamie, Great thoughts here. So important to remember that we’re all in this together, so that when shots are taken at other believers, we’re really shooting ourselves.
And for our focus to be on Christ, our identity being found in who he is- giving us eschatological hope (for the here and now). We miss the boat when we’re so focused on ourselves and each other. No wonder we’re tempted, then, to give up.
Ted,
I could probably develop this topic a great deal more, but I wanted to just brush the surface at this stage, leaving room for other perspectives. Thanks for being the first to do so!
Peace,
Jamie
hey great topic! Of course the first thing that crossed my mind was Isaiah:
Isa 53:1-3 “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot,and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
Yet- as you pointed out- we in the church still get hung up on appearances. To the extent that it begs the question– would we today reject the Christ all over again, because he doesn’t look the part?
It seems to me that aspirations for external beauty have plagued the church since, I suppose, at least the time of Constantine. While beauty can and does enhance our worship, obsession with it can overpower the message of Christ, to whom God gave a less than beautiful appearance. Fast forward to the 20th cent. modern times and we see our focus still being distracted by appearance- building, budget, glossy brochure, congregation size- what ever the “beauty flavor” of the day may be. (Perhaps even the proper goatee?)
Why can’t we stop looking in the mirror?
Cindy,
Well said! We do not reject beauty, but cannot allow it to be the only or primary standard of measure. Thanks for the great addition to the conversation.
Peace,
Jamie
Good thoughts. There is something deep in me that knows I am called to love the church- probably the Holy Spirit at work
I hope that in my better moments the reason I get so upset with some people in the church is because I long for her to catch a glimpse of the glory for which she was made, and thus live more in tune with it. Love the picture too!
Speaking of thoughts and holding them back vs posting, How’s work on the book going?
Dana
Dana,
I share your struggle with this. By the grace of God and the humility of our own brokenness. As for the book, life has taken such a turn for the busy, I have had little time for it. I realize that I need time away to write, but that is all too rare. Alas!
Peace,
Jamie
Great thoughts here, Jamie.
“Dying to self” is certainly <b>not</b> in vogue within today’s culture, yet it is the very thing that will “fix what ails us”, so to speak. And when we finally <b>do</b> choose to die to self and lay claim to our identity in Christ, I love what your pointed out:
<i>”humility in the face of our own human failure is not threatening,”</i>
Well put, Jamie. Very well put.
Blessings,
Chris
Chris,
I am not sure dying to self could ever become “vague” per se, but we certainly need to be more intentional about embracing it. Thanks for sharing.
Peace,
Jamie