So I went to my reunion after all. And it was just as I thought it would be. First of all, everyone else was different. They were grown up with diverse life experiences–joy, pain, suffering, and triumph. Life changes people, and everyone seemed genuinely nice and interested in each other.
But more importantly, I was different. And the changes that have taken place in me over the last few years have made all the difference in every relationship and life experience I have had, this reunion being no different.
The difference in me is pretty simple–I really get now that my identity and worth has nothing to do with man’s approval. It’s okay if I don’t have a high status job. I don’t have to have the best advice on marriage or child-rearing. I don’t need to be embarassed if my pants are wrinkled or my toenail polish chipped. I know who I am in Christ, and that has made all the difference.
In times past, I thought I knew who I was in Christ, but I’d catch myself all the time trying to manipulate circumstances to make myself look good or being critical of others to make me feel better about myself. When I examined how I talked to people, I realized that I wasn’t secure in Christ. It mattered way too much what others thought of me and things they said to me. So I have had to get a grip on the gospel and my identity in Jesus. Ephesians 1-2 has been big for me.
So the update on my reunion is that I had a great time connecting with old friends and was able to put to rest insecurities and hurts that had plagued me since high school. God is good, and I thank Him that He doesn’t leave us as He finds us. His transformation is beautiful (though the process is often painful). I know we have much more transforming to do, but it was neat to see in clear ways how much growth has taken place in the last 20 years.
