The Human Chameleon.
Ephesians 4:1-3, 14-16
In a world of smart phones, text messages, Facebook, and e-dating, many are creating virtual relationships which mask a person’s true identity in an attempt to protect themselves from the reality of real relationship. They want to avoid the possible heartache and pain that can occur when love is not reciprocated. Others fill their lives with work, recreation or entertainment in an attempt to avoid deep relationships. And yet, as we attempt to protect ourselves, we become less human, and wander farther from the Creator’s purpose for our lives which is to love both God and neighbor as ourselves.
Ephesians 4:1-3NIV As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Paul then speaks about the gifts Jesus gave to the Church, the body of Christ. These gifts were meant to keep the body from getting off course.
Ephesians 4:11, So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers.
He gave these gifts for the work of the ministry. Therefore in return, the body of Jesus Christ would continue to grow, and not be weakened or hindered.
Ephesians 4:14-16NIV Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
In Woody Allen’s film Zelig. The main character is a deeply insecure, awkward, and shallow man named Leonard Zelig. Zelig is also described as “the human chameleon” because he routinely adjusts his personality to fit-in with whatever group of people he happens to be with. In one scene, Zelig is pictured as a compassionate servant of the poor, feeding the hungry alongside Mother Teresa.
In a different scene, while in the company of Nizzi soldiers, he raises his right hand and declares, “Hail Hitler!”
At a party hosted by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelig hobnobs with the movers and shakers, awkwardly inserting himself into conversations and posing as an important high-society sort. Soon after this, he is back in the kitchen with the servants and staff, hurling insults in a gruff, blue-collar-friendly voice toward all those snobbish “fat cats” on Fitzgerald’s guest list.
Eventually, Zelig finds himself in a crisis because he realizes he has no identity of his own. His chameleon nature catches up with him.
To address his problem, he hires a hypnotherapist named Eudora Fletcher, who puts him into a trance. The following conversation ensues:
Dr. Fletcher: Tell me why you assume the characteristics of the person you are with?
Zelig: It’s safe.
Dr. Fletcher: What do you mean, what do you mean, “safe?”
Zelig: Safe. To…to be like the others.
Dr. Fletcher: You want to be safe?
Zelig: I want to be liked.
Zelig is a portrait of the human chameleon in all of us. Like Zelig, we want to be safe—we want to be liked—because rejection is simply too painful to bear.
Again Paul writes in, Ephesians 4:2TPT With tender humility and quiet patience, always demonstrate gentleness and generous love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience.
Mariah Carey, one of the most successful artists in the history of pop music, in which she said that if she hears a thousand words of praise and one word of criticism, that one criticism will eliminate the thousand praises in her mind.
As Christians, we have an obligation, to take up the identity Jesus paid dearly for.
Hand out—I am a joint-heir Romans 8:17. I am more that a conqueror through Him who loves me Romans 8:37 etc.
Ephesians 4:3TM And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
Jack Miller once said, “God’s grace flows downhill to the low places, not uphill to the pompous and put-together places.”
Jesus gave His greatest commands to live by in, Matthew 22:37-39NKJV Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
“Understanding and receiving, the Love of Jesus Christ has to become our number 1 reason for existence.” P.H
CS Lewis observed and warned of this about love:
To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable… The only place outside of heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.
Ephesians 4:15-16TPT But instead we will remain strong and always sincere in our love as we express the truth. All our direction and ministries will flow from Christ and lead us deeper into him, the anointed Head of his body, the church. 16 For his “body” has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.
Remember, Love God, and love others!
The last words spoken by Christ before his death—it is finished, meaning that the pressure is off!
Right this very moment, “live in the light of how loved you are.” P.H
During our day to day affairs we should always practice communion. Everything about Jesus spells communion.
We should wholesomely do and say—The body and blood of Christ, given for me. Take, eat and drink, and be satisfied!
Always remember this, In Christ—God has moved your judgment day from the future to the past. You are forgiven, blameless in His sight, and dearly loved!
Words have the ability to crush spirits. Here are just a few examples: You are worthless. You are ugly. You will never amount to much. You disappoint me. Why can't you be more like your brother, or sister? You are too fat. You are too thin. I want a divorce. You should be ashamed of yourself, I hate you. I wish you were never born!
Words also have the ability to lift spirits, to bring strength to the weary, to give hope to the hopeless, to put courage back in, to make souls stronger.
Words like these: You matter. You are the image of God. You are loved at your best, you are loved at your worst. You are uniquely gifted. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are God's child, the bride of Jesus, the vessel of the Holy Spirit, and an heir of the kingdom. I see potential in you, I value you. I need you. I respect you. Will you forgive me? I forgive you. I like you. I love you.
Key point: These are the kind of words that lift a heart and bring healing to a soul. They can free the chameleon from hiding in fear, so ‘they’ are free to discover and live with ‘their’ true identity.
Ephesians 4:14-15AMP So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit]. 15 But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.
Truth—The truth spoken out of love promotes healing.
Ephesians 4:16AMP From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love.
Notice, unselfish love—Give yourself away!
Knowing Who I am in Jesus Christ—Joyce Meyer.
I am complete in Him Who is the head over all rule and authority—of every angelic and earthly power (Colossians 2:10).
I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).
I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).
I am far from oppression, and will not live in fear (Isaiah 54:14).
I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).
I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).
I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).
I have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
The Spirit of God, who is greater than the enemy in the world, lives in me (1 John 4:4).
I have received abundant grace and the gift of righteousness and reign in life through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).
I have received the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my heart enlightened, so that I know the hope of having life in Christ (Ephesians 1:17-18).
I have received the power of the Holy Spirit and He can do miraculous things through me. I have authority and power over the enemy in this world (Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:17-19).
I am renewed in the knowledge of God and no longer want to live in my old ways or nature before I accepted Christ (Colossians 3:9-10).
I am merciful, I do not judge others, and I forgive quickly. As I do this by God’s grace, He blesses my life (Luke 6:36-38).
God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
In all circumstances I live by faith in God and extinguish all the flaming darts (attacks) of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16).
I can do whatever I need to do in life through Christ Jesus who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).
I am chosen by God who called me out of the darkness of sin and into the light and life of Christ so I can proclaim the excellence and greatness of who He is (1 Peter 2:9).
I am born again—spiritually transformed, renewed and set apart for God’s purpose—through the living and everlasting word of God (1 Peter 1:23).
I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ to do good works that He has prepared for me to do (Ephesians 2:10).
I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
In Christ, I am dead to sin—my relationship to it is broken—and alive to God—living in unbroken fellowship with Him (Romans 6:11).
The light of God’s truth has shone in my heart and given me knowledge of salvation through Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).
As I hear God’s Word, I do what it says and I am blessed in my actions (James 1:22, 25).
I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).
I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me (Romans 8:37).
I overcome the enemy of my soul by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).
I have everything I need to live a godly life and am equipped to live in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4).
I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9).
I am the righteousness of God—I have right standing with Him—in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit; I belong to Him (1 Corinthians 6:19).
I am the head and not the tail, and I only go up and not down in life as I trust and obey God (Deuteronomy 28:13).
I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).
I am chosen by God, forgiven and justified through Christ. I have a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness and patience (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12).
I am redeemed—forgiven of all my sins and made clean—through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7).
I have been rescued from the domain and the power of darkness and brought into God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13).
I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13).
My life is rooted in my faith in Christ and I overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done for me (Colossians 2:7).
I am called to live a holy life by the grace of God and to declare His praise in the world (Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9).
I am healed and whole in Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).
I am saved by God’s grace, raised up with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-6; Colossians 2:12).
I am greatly loved by God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).
I am strengthened with all power according to His glorious might (Colossians 1:11).
I humbly submit myself to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7).
I press on each day to fulfill God’s plan for my life because I live to please Him (Philippians 3:14).
I am not ruled by fear because the Holy Spirit lives in me and gives me His power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).
Benediction.
