I turned 25 today. How crazy is that? I usually don't pay much thought to my birthday but this year is different and I'll tell you why, near the end!
Don't worry. I'm not one of those dudes that gets all freaked out about getting older and trying to look younger and all that nonsense, even though I'm not that old. But of couse it's all in the eye of the beholder! When I'm 30, I'm 30 and when I'm 40, I'm 40. God willing I'll make it that far! I believe what I have to say is much deeper and important than the whole age issue.
I think as adults in general we don't generally think about our child hood much anymore, in a healthy way at least. I still have so many memories and it's insane to think how time flys by, but it is immensly slow when you stop and count the seconds.
I actually remember what the 80's smell like...I know that's weird, but I'll walk into a building and I'm like, "it smells very 80'sish in here". I mean, I know it's because my brain associates specific smells from that time period and then relates my memories to them, but still, how awesome is that? Psychomotor development really is interesting!
Anyways, I remember my mom cuddling with me and taking care of me when I was sick. I rememeber sneaking into my parents bed in the middle of the night. I remember my first day of day care and Saturday morning cartoons. I even remember when me and my sister caught the Easter bunny and my first day of school, lol. I believe we've all had our good and bad memories. Some of us had bad childhoods and some had good, but we're all here now. When I think about everything I went through I'm baffled to think I'm actually a 25 year old man. I remember (I'm going to say that a lot) when I thought 100 dollars could by a house, my first fight, first crush, first race (in a car, I was too fat to foot-race....), friend, time I played a guitar, and so forth.
Our lives, at least for everyone around me, were milestoned like this. 5 years old - go to school - 9ish - friendship is everything - 13 become a teenager (real drama begins) - 16 start driving and hopefully get a car - 18 you can smoke and you have the "right" to say "I don't have to listen to my parents anymore" - 21 - you can drink. Sound familiar? Maybe not.
I wrote many journals when I was in high school and I've been reflecting on my child-adolescenthood lately and have come to this realization. Nothing we have done determines who we are, but it does determine what we are. Sound weird? I think it's true. When I was 5 I hit a kid in the head with a baseball bat for biting me. I thought it was literally the end of the world because my parents would ground me. When I got in my first wreck I thought it was the end of the world. When I was young I thought I HAD to marry so-and-so or get in this or that band or it was the end of the world. The point that I'm trying to make is this; we have no idea of how are life is ever going to turn out or what the repercussions of our decisions will be. Everything we see is from such a narrow perspective no matter how hard we try to think outside of the box.
Who we are is determined by what we believe of ourselves, others, and God. You may believe in Him or not, but it tells a lot about who you are as a person. It doesn't matter if you've broke the law, won the lottery, gave to the poor because they are all "things" that you have done that anyone else could do. What we have done doesn't determine what we are unless you think of it in the the biggest perspective of all. For example: if you've told a lie, your a liar, if you've stolen, you're a thief, if you've used God's name in vain, your a blasphemer. In that perspective (the Biblical one) liars, thieves, and blasphemers will go to hell (Rev. 21:8) But Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead 3 days later forever defeating death for those who will repent (turn away) from their sins and trust in Him fully. He is the only way to heaven and the only way to escape the hell we all deserve. John 14:6
The other perspective is OUR perspective. If we lie we don't think we're liars anymore than if I bake a cake once it doesn't make me a baker. But our own perspective is contradicting. If someone murdered someone 20 years ago and then gets caught now we put him on trial for what....being a murderer. Time doesn't erase the things that we have done, good or bad. See how much our perspective can be flawed. That is why we have to look to the ultimate perspective of God and His word. It is perfect. He is loving, holy, just, merciful, and righteous.
Do you ever have those moments when you're driving or just sitting somewhere and your thinking, "how did I get here"? If not, maybe I'm just deep in a strange way. The reason this birthday (year) is different for me is because that doesn't happen very much anymore. As most of you know I became a born-again Christian this year. Meaning, I didn't just say I was a Christian anymore...I really was. God changed my heart. I began to love the things He loved and hated the things He hated. He gave me the strength and desire to repent from my sins, surrendering and putting my trust in Jesus Christ. I'm not a hypocrite anymore.
I believe it's because I know that wherever I am in my life at this point, I am there for a reason. I don't really question it much or ever ask "what if" anymore. We're all in God's plan. We just need to figure out if we're truly aware of it or not. I don't think the answer to that is reading "Your Best Life Now" or "The Purpose Driven Life". The answer lies in asking yourself this question. It's not, do you know God, it's does God know you? Meaning, are you calling yourself a Christian without being a servant or are you even calling yourself a Christian for that matter.
Many Christians say to live life by asking "what would Jesus do". Well we don't need to ask that. We just need to look at "what DID Jesus do". It's called reading His word, the Bible. That is how we grow closer to Him and that is one very big way we grow closer to Him and He reveals truth and direction to us.
I don't ask how did I get here anymore. Now I ask what can I do now that I am here to glorify God. I find true joy and happiness in doing so. I believe we should all be asking ourselves that question, especially if you call yourself a Christian.
May God bless you and thanks for reading.
Joey
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