You’re probably familiar with the term, “birthday suit.” Since it refers to the “suit” we’re born in, which is no clothes at all, when you hear someone say it, you may get images of (in)famous examples of nudity, such as Lady Godiva, the 11th century countess who is said to have ridden through the streets of Mercia, England, bareback (in all meanings of the term). Or maybe Hans Christian Andersen’s story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” comes to mind, you know, where an emperor is hoodwinked into buying clothes that are said by the weavers to be invisible to people who are stupid and unfit for their position – which of course the emperor and most of his court are afraid to admit, even though they can’t see the non-existent “clothes.” Finally, a little child calls the buff, I mean, bluff, shouting, “But he isn’t wearing anything at all!” Or, maybe you’ve heard about the Laguna del Sol “clothing optional” resort located (appropriately) on Rawhide Lane in nearby Wilton, CA.
Well, since I titled this blog “My Birthday Suit,” I want to set your mind at ease and free you from any scary images that my words may conjure by explaining what I mean: “My birthday suit” means it’s “my birthday,” and I decided to write about what “suits” me. Hah hah.
This weekend I turned 67 years old, and now that I’m approaching becoming a senior member of society, I thought it would be a public service if I could share with you some of the things that I have learned by living these three score plus seven years. In other words, things that have suited me to learn and practice in my life. So, if you don’t mind me “baring” my soul, here goes:
- Let’s start right off with the most important thing I’ve learned: God is real. And not some kind of “higher power” or “force,” but specifically the personal, living God of the Bible – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. With that goes the necessary co-belief that the Bible is true in what it teaches about God, about us, about what God expects from us, and about what God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. That God is real: a personal, loving, and powerful God who is interested in, aware of, and actively involved in our lives. When I say that this is the most important thing I’ve learned, I’m certainly affirming that God ranks highest in worthiness to be known, but I am also asserting that knowledge of God affects everything else I might know. Belief in God and trust in him informs and permeates everything else; everything else I might know has its basis in God, for he is the Creator and Sustainer of everything there is. As Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,” and as Proverbs 9:10 adds, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” How can I truly know anything if I don’t know the God who created it all and explained the significance of life and death in his written Word? So then, you might ask, how do I know that God is real? Ultimately, as Luther’s Small Catechism teaches, I can only believe because the Holy Spirit has given me faith through the Gospel; it is not my doing, through reason and intelligence, that I have somehow figured out that God is and who God is. But I believe that God has shown me his existence in three ways. First, and definitively, through the Scriptures, in which God reveals himself and tells me all I need to know about him. If that’s all I had, it would be enough. But second, God has confirmed his presence by means of gracious interventions in my life (and the lives of others I know). He has guided, rebuked, protected, and healed me at different times according to his will, showing me that he is both a loving and righteous God who is concerned with the lives of his children. And third, the Spirit has worked through my emotions and reason to show that he is real. I have found the knowledge of God to be both emotionally and rationally fulfilling. Everything I know about the world just fits into the biblical explanation of reality and makes more sense than any other “theory” that men have invented to explain why thing are the way they are. This knowledge has inspired me, comforted me, and helped me make sense of life, both the good and the bad. It’s not that emotion and reason have brought me to God, but once I received faith from God, my emotions and reason have served my living out that faith.
- It matters where we put our faith. So much in the world clamors for our attention and says, “Trust me!” “Put your faith in this product! It will solve your problems and make you happy!” “You deserve the good things we can sell you!” “Do I have a deal for you!” and so on. Some are just unable to provide what they offer, even though they have good intentions; others are outright crooks trying to scam you into following them or giving them your money. Hardly a week goes by that someone doesn’t try to scam us by phone or email, claiming to be a computer tech service or the IRS (at least, I hope the IRS calls were scams, since I hung up on them after they said the “local police” were on their way to arrest me!). We have to trust others much of the time: when we eat at a restaurant, we trust the cooks have safely prepared the food; when we fly, we trust the pilots, mechanics, and air traffic controllers to transport us safely to our destinations; when the doctors prescribe a medicine, we have to trust them and the pharmacy and the drug companies to provide a beneficial product. And so on. Likewise, when it comes to our religious beliefs, it matters where we put our faith. Certainly, we trust Jesus Christ and what God’s Word says about him, but we also must make sure that those who interpret that Word to us are worthy of our trust. Over the centuries, many false prophets have gone out and twisted the Bible to deny the true Gospel. It was a problem already in the earliest churches, because the Apostles had to warn against such false teachers that were misleading the believers (2 Peter 2:1, Galatians 1:6). That’s why creeds and confessions are so important, because they state the true faith and help guard against false doctrine. That’s also why the choice of church one attends is so important – are the preachers and teachers faithful to the Scriptures, or are they seeking the approval of people to benefit themselves (Galatians 1:10)? Where I put my faith is always important; when it comes to matters of eternal life, it’s essential!
- The amount of faith we have is not important. What?!? How can I say that? It sounds like heresy! But I think people get hung up on how much faith they think they need, and are afraid they aren’t good Christians if they don’t feel like their faith is strong. But Jesus said, “For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). Since the mustard seed is described as the smallest seed, Jesus is saying that even a small amount of faith can accomplish much. Do some people have more faith than others? Sure; some people have a special gift of faith. But faith is just believing in Christ and what he has done for us. It’s not something we can build up by our own will to make God accept us; it’s a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our call is just to believe, and let God apportion to us what he wants us to have. I like how one saying puts it: “It’s not that we have great faith in God, but that we have faith in a great God.” So if you believe, then take comfort and be at peace, read the Bible, receive communion, and you will likely find your faith increasing!
- Treat everyone with respect. As the late Aretha Franklin put it, “R-e-s-p-e-c-t. . .” Some respect is earned, such as when someone proves trustworthy or capable in their work. But there’s also a level of respect due to everyone regardless of their appearance, attitudes, trustworthiness, or likeability. That respect is due to those with other religions or none. It is due to all races and ethnic groups, sexes, and “genders,” whether we agree with the designations or not. It is due because that person was made in God’s image, just as we were, so to disrespect him or her is to disrespect God. As Jesus said about our respect for our parents, if we cannot love the father we see, how can we love our Father in heaven whom we do not see? I think the same can be said for our love for all people made in God’s image. Sure, we are also all fallen sinners, so people do things and say things we don’t have to agree with, but we still owe them respect. Jesus taught us the Golden Rule – to do unto others as we would want them to do unto us; not surprisingly, when we respect others, we find they will likely respect us back. This is something I have tried to follow toward everyone, though I know I have sometimes failed to do so.
- Keep a sense of humor. This is so important. It helps us get through discouraging times, it often puts things in perspective, and it keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously. It helps break down walls between people when we can laugh together. We are flawed creatures, and we make mistakes. Sometimes, those mistakes are frustrating or even harmful, but sometimes, they are just funny. We find ourselves in situations that make us laugh. And as long as we’re not laughing at someone, laughter can benefit everyone involved. (As I tell my wife, “I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing with you.” But I don’t think she always believes me.) One recent example of seeing humor in a situation took place when I called my sister. She was taken into the hospital for one night due to an episode with her heart. It took some doing, but after a few calls I tracked her to her room. When she answered the phone, I said the common expression, “You can run, but you can’t hide!” To which my sister, who this spring had her second leg amputated, replied, “I can’t run; I have no legs.” Fortunately, she saw the humor in it, and we both chuckled over my faux pas.* Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” May you have a cheerful heart, even in the face of adversity!
Over the many years I have learned many more things as well, but I decided giving you the “bare” bones would be enough for this blog. Maybe I’ll give you some more in the future – when I’m even older and wiser – and when it “suits” me. In the meantime:
May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Read: Genesis 1:26-31, Genesis 9:5-6, Ephesians 2:8-10
*Used with her permission.