Sunday, October 28, 2007

Identity

I was reading my book at work the other day and the author produced this analogy concerning identity. Here's the setting from the infamous movie, the Lion King. You might have heard this before. Anyways, I think it's a good analogy.
Simba was born the son of a King. He loves that identity of being the son of a king. However, his jealous uncle indirectly kills Mufasa, blaming it on Simb,a who believes Scar, and then runs away from his father's kingdom. Things got rough and so he forgot his idenity, or more, turned to what was easiest and turned away from who he truly is. He finds Timon and Pumba, grows up apart of what he was created for, of who he really is. This new, easy life that he found started to come into conflict with who he really is, his identity when Timon and Pumba start to ask about his past. Simba eventually denies his father, his past life, who he really is. Then Rafiki comes along and here is the story from there.... S=Simba, R=Rafiki, M= Mufasa............S: Stop following me. Who are you?
R: The question is, Who are YOU?
S: I thought I knew, but now I am not so sure.
R: Well, I know who you are.
S: I think you're a little confused.
R: Wrong! I am not the one who is confused. You don't even know who you are.
S (walking away): Oh, and I suppose you do?
R: You're Mufasa's boy! Bye.

S:You knew my father?
R: Correction, I know your father.
S: I hate to tell you this, but he died, a long time ago.
R: Nope, wrong again! (laughing) He's alive! and I'll show him to you!

This shocked Simba to following Rafiki through the immense jungle to a pond where Rafiki says...

R: Look down there (pointing at a pond)
S: That's not my father, it's just my reflection
R: No...look harder. You see? He lives in you.

Mufasa comes in a huge cloud and....

M: Simba!
S: Father?
M: Simba, you have forgotten me.
S: No. How could I?
M: You have forgotten who you are and so, have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become.

This is something that I can relate to, having conflicting "identities", a divided heart. Forgetting who I really am, a child of God. Pursuing other things than my relationship with Christ. Pursuing other things than people. Loving idols, materialistic things, false things instead of God. All things that are false identities. And so, I have forgotten who I am, and so have forgotten God. We all are more than what we become when we start to lose focus on what's truly important: 1) Relationship with God. 2) Relationship with others. I lost focus of that, and so became this person that was not who I was created to be, who was not my identity. Just thought that was a cool display in something so commonly known as the Lion King. Hope your heart isn't divided, and if it is remember who you really are and find comfort that God will never stop pursuing you. :)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What book are you reading? It sounds pretty good.

Andrew said...

It's Every man, God's man. It's about men's identity in Christ and spiritual integrity. It's pretty good so far, you can borrow it when I'm done if you like.