by Nathan Buck Some imposters can be easy to spot. I don’t imagine it would be too hard to recognize a lion pretending to be a duck. After all, both are very unique in size, shape, movement, etc. You’ve probably heard the phrase, ‘If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck…” No other animal can imitate the uniqueness of a duck and be mistaken for a duck. Come to think of it, I don’t know of any animals that pretend to be other animals in order to forget they are what they are. Perhaps the animal kingdom has one up on us humans? How often do we pretend to be someone or something we are not? How often do we wear the masks we have created, out of pride or insecurity? How often do we live a lie that others have forced upon us with wounds, ridicule, or abuse? And how often have we wished we were someone else, or had someone else’s life, just because we are unsatisfied with our own? And that is just the normal superficial stuff. What about when it comes to personal integrity, morality, truth, faith, and our spiritual life? How often do we play hide and seek with our identity, our heart, our soul, and our creator? We are unsatisfied creatures. So much so that we are often willing to give up precious parts of ourselves to try and become anyone or anything other than who we are. Read Romans 1:18-25, and notice two words that stick out there in that section – “wrath” and “exchange.” “Wrath” is being uncovered, or revealed, because of people who hold back/suppress the Truth with unrighteousness. Notice that it doesn’t say “wrath” is being inflicted, or rocket launched, or tazer-ed upon people. It’s important to note that God is not just sitting around waiting to “smite” people. I will come back to that in a couple of weeks when we talk about Romans 2. Notice also the word “exchange.” It’s used repeatedly in this passage. It means to “stop” one thing and to “start” another. Usually these are contrasting things, meaning unlike each other. So, in these verses, what is it that is being “stopped” and what is being “started”? “Glory of incorruptibility” is exchanged for “corruptible created things.” “Truth” is exchanged for “lies.” And if you read ahead, you will see natural sexual usefulness, for unnatural use and relating. I believe this was more than just sexual, because our usefulness to one another is far deeper than sex, but sexual deviation is definitely indicated here. The “exchange” is a rejection of God and His creative design. People were not satisfied with being in the “image of God” they wanted to be gods themselves and make their own path. They exchanged the glory of their identity as children of God to become mask-wearing imposters. Instead of worshipping God, they started to worship lesser created beings and even pretended to act like them. Instead of the beauty of mutual trust and admiration for the uniqueness of and usefulness of male / female relationships and marriage, they started trying any and all combinations they could think of. They abandoned their design and became less in their attempts to feel, experience, and control more. What costume have you chosen to wear? Where will that imaginary journey take you?
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