Butt-naked

   Reading through Proverbs has really stretched me. Why? Because I am a fool. I love to say foolish things and be ridiculous to make people laugh. It's a part of who I am. But... Proverbs states over and over again that people need to avoid fools in their folly. 
   Being the funny person in and of itself is not always a bad thing. Laughter can be the best medicine. I'm not saying that who I am is wrong and sinful. I'm saying that playing the fool has become my idol. I can always count on my humor to control an environment. It makes me feel secure in who I am. That is what is so dangerous.
   I am counting on my humor to save me more than my God. I have placed my identity in my humor. I've always hated reading through Proverbs but never understood why until I realized that. God wants to rebuild me to become more like Christ. I realize now that my commitment to God means becoming less like funny, confident little Erin Darling, and more like Jesus Christ.
   I've been extremely stubborn in this area of my life. I want to keep most of who I am and follow Christ. But I cannot grab onto Jesus unless I first throw away everything else I'm carrying. God wants my devotion, and right now God is asking me to empty myself so I can be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a scary thing for me. Who would I be without my humor? I don't know. But I do know who I am in Christ.    
   So I am going for it. I don't know how, but I'm going to get rid of myself. Maybe that means not talking for a day... because let's face it, the moment I start to speak is the moment I will slip up. Please pray for me as I begin the process of placing my identity in Christ alone instead of my humor.
   I was reading Isaiah and this chapter made me laugh, but it is also a great illustration of what I need to do in my life in order to commit myself to God...
Isaiah 20
1 In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it—
2 at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot. 3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush,4 so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt's shame.5 Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be afraid and put to shame.
6 In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’ ” 
    I need to strip down and get barefoot. I need to throw off everything that is hindering me in my relationship with God. Sure it's going to be hard to let go of the one thing that is my identity, the thing that defines me, or the thing I rely on to feel loved and important and human. It's going to feel as uncomfortable as getting naked and barefoot and walking around in public like the prophet Isaiah did. 
   I am determined to follow God. I will get naked for Jesus! ...Okay, see, there's a prime example of my foolishness. I immediately regretted typing that, but I'm going to leave it in so you know the severity of my identity issues.
   Tonight, I pray for the obedience of Isaiah. He got nude for God, and I want an obedience like that. I pray that I can strip off everything about myself, so I can be more like Christ. 
   Here are a couple other verses that have resonated within my heart that don't involve nudity.
Psalm 44:26
Rise up and help us;
redeem us because of your unfailing love. 
Proverbs 14:30
 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.