I Am Me

    Regardless of your age or background, YOU are the sum total of your genetic makeup and the environment in which you live EXCEPT for the insinuation of God in your life. I am me and there is no other me. A couple of times I've been told that someone looks like me, or that I look like another. Being like someone is not being that someone and no matter how much you may desire to be another you are you, and you alone.

    The reason I say this is that I've been thinking about events of my life, people who have influenced me both in a good way and a bad, and experiences that have shaped my beliefs and opinions. Physically, and to some degree, emotionally, I am what my genetic makeup dictates, except for a few things I can control. For instance I have grey hair (which used to be brown) and I have no control over it. I have brown eyes and a reddish complexion and these things are a part of my genetic makeup. My general disposition is, in part, genetic, a part of my overall constitution, but much of it is shaped by the environment in which I grew up, in which I now live, and by those incidents during my life that helped shape me. I'm over weight, and that IS something I can control to a degree but, even that is a part of my genetic makeup.                                                        

 And, though I may have a genetic emotional disposition, that is as well, something I can control and something for which I am held responsible. This responsibility can be enforced through man made laws and definitely by God's laws for which every man is accountable. For those of us who know the Savior this is where we can be most thankful for grace!

    As a Natural Health enthusiast and practitioner I believe that we all have a physical and emotional constitution that is unique to each of us. In fact, I have, in the last few days, done assessments on individuals and simply "blown them away" by what I can tell about them by just looking at their eyes. So, for instance when the Psalmist writes, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14), I know that God designed me with my particular genetic code, which I must accept as a work of His creation.

   This constitution will dictate the physical stamina I will have in regards to what my body can handle when it comes to environmental toxins, recovery from illness, susceptibility to illness and so forth. Of course I can eat all the wrong things and it will have an effect, I can ignore healthy practices, and I can abuse myself and it will still have a result. You may know of someone who lived hard and careless and grew old and you might know someone who took relatively good care of himself and died young. Part of that is the strength of that individual constitution. BUT taking good care of ourselves will generally prolong life. Of course, I believe that ultimately God's will determines the length of life.                                                        

      Emotionally, our ability to cope is designed within each of us as well and it is good to know one's self and what our emotional status is. Things like prayer and meditation, taking a relaxing bath, or practicing a relaxing hobby can all be helpful. In Iridology the general emotional makeup of an individual can be interpreted correctly through examination of iris fibers, etc. Whether we are auditory or visual learners, for instance is within that genetic code. Whether we are predominantly emotional, analytical, kinesthetic is also, for the most part, within that constitution unique to each of us. Yet, when it comes to behavior we are each responsible and held accountable. The Bible says, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance (self-control)"(1 Peter 1:5,6a) and again, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22,23) Temperance is a fruit of the Spirit which should be manifested in every true Christian!                                           

     There is a spiritual dimension too! In my initial statement I said, "Regardless of your age or background, YOU are the sum total of your genetic makeup and the environment in which you live EXCEPT for the insinuation of God in your life.". So, even though we all have a genetic make up, a unique constitution that determines who we are as individuals born into this world, we ARE NOT , if we are Christians, predestined to be the sum total of that genetic make up, nor are we bound to be what our environment has shaped us to be BECAUSE a miracle of God performed within us, a second birth, which enables us to overcome every defect, every flaw, every strength, and every weakness, and that miracle has taken place with EVERY true Christian!

  So, while I may be genetically a weaker vessel than the next fellow, I am made strong by the presence of God in my life, by His indwelling Spirit, so that I will, in the end, be an overcomer! "Who is he thatovercometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5) What it all boils down to is that we just simply don't have any excuse for any behavior that is forbidden by Scripture and we are expected and empowered to behave in those ways that are seemly and approved according to the Scripture! We cannot blame genetics!

   I am me, and you are you. I have learned a lot about people over my years both through the Christian ministry and in the study of human nature, both environmental and genetic and I can usually get a pretty good grip on a person's general personality by observing him/her BUT I am limited with the Christian because of that Spiritual dimension, that connection with God because at the point one becomes a Christian, even though the physical and emotional traits they are born with remain, the individual becomes a new creation, created in Christ Jesus, so whatever those physical and/or emotional traits are, they have been miraculously adapted to the New Creature! YOU, I hope!
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)