Time To Throw It Out!

“But they are so comfortable!” That was me whining about having to FINALLY throw out an old pair of sneakers that I loved. Sure the soles were coming unglued, and, yes, the laces were worn out, BUT I loved wearing them around the house. Throwing them out would me I had to admit they no longer were “my favorite sneakers!” I had to let go!

We do tend to hold onto things too long sometimes. A ratty recliner, an old jacket, or, sometimes, a comfortable way of living that really doesn’t help us at all. In fact, more often than not, those “old ways” keep us tied to “old mistakes” and bad habits! I guess we all struggle with this. One of our greatest challenges is to realize that an old pattern of choices isn’t serving us at all. Confronting the absolute necessity to change is hard, but we have to do it!

And that’s not new or surprising to God. But it is a pattern of behavior we have to “put off” if we are ever going to be Orthodox on Purpose!

Look at our lesson today in Ephesians 4:17-25:

BRETHREN, now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart; they have become callous and have given themselves up to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness. You did not so learn Christ! – assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus. Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth for we are members of one another.

St. Paul makes no bones about what this new commitment to Christ means for these Ephesian Orthodox Christians: “You must no longer live as the Gentiles do!” Why, Well, because the way these pagans live shows that their understanding is “darkened;” “alienated from God’s life;” and their hardness of heart has left them greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness.” Pretty plain talk, don’t you think?

But, of course, St. Paul makes it clear that this kind of behavior reveals that these people are slaves; slaves to their own confusion; slaves to their habits; and slaves to a filthy life. St. Paul tells us today we have to “put off” this kind of life. It’s almost like he is telling us to “change” our clothing to a more appropriate “dress” for those who claim to be enlightened by the Light of Christ. It isn’t a mistake that we call newly baptized Orthodox and newly chrismated Orthodox “newly Illumined.” Now we have the light to see clearly how not to be confused; how not to stumble in the darkness of our self-centeredness; and how to have a renewed mind by the wisdom of Christ.

We are called to say “goodbye” to our former lives because of our life in Christ. We are called to embrace that being taught Christ means a new way of thinking; renewal of our minds. Isn’t it interesting that this kind of wisdom always starts with our thought process? That should give you important insight into the value of a life of “metanoia.” We begin putting off our old nature by realizing we need to! BECAUSE we have a new nature to put on and these two different “natures” are always incompatible with each other! Our new nature is nothing less than a nature created after the “likeness of God.” This is what we Orthodox mean when we say “theosis!” And all of this isn’t just some personal behavioral modification, but vital to our being able to be in the community of others who have put off their old natures as well. We belong together BECAUSE of this new nature we have been given!

Today, are you still trying to wear that old, ratty, “nature” you use to wear? Maybe you’re trying to wear both “natures” at the same time. How’s that working out for you? Perhaps it’s time to let go of that old way of thinking and embrace with purpose the Orthodox way of life that makes us “like” Christ. The truth is you will never do anything more important in your whole life than actually becoming Orthodox on Purpose!

P.S. Dear Lord, You came to make me a new man. You came to make us all new through our intimate relationship with You. Our Faith is supposed to give us the path to say goodbye to our old ways and embrace a new life in You. When my Faith is creating this new man in me, then I’m being faithful to you. When it isn’t making me new, it’s because I have forgotten You. Please forgive me for my forgetfulness and help me finally become who You made me be! Amen.