I AM WHAT I AM AND THAT’S ALL I AM

Popeye the sailor man was a cartoon character created in the 1930’s and was initially presented in movie theaters as a theatrical “short” before the main movie presentation. Popeye was a grumbling, pipe smoking, short-tempered character who most often found himself in a fight with his nemesis, “Brutus”, over the affections of his girlfriend, “Olive Oil”. I remember watching it as a kid in the 1960’s and like a few cartoons, made an impression in my mind which has lasted all these years.

One of his famous sayings which came out of his gravely voice was, “I am that I am and that’s all that I am”. Translated it means, “What you see is pretty much what you get”. The other possible meaning is this, “This is how I was created, and you can accept me as I am or not; but I am what I am.”

My intention is not to open the can of what areas of personal life and character are subject and indeed need to be transformed. I will quickly stipulate that all of us have aspects of our life that need formation, healing, adjustment, or counseling. You cannot wander through life psychologically dysfunctional and simply justify it by saying, “I am that I am and that’s all that I am”. You cannot, as our culture has attempted to do, take every sinful proclivity at work in your life and say, “Sorry, that’s just who I am”. Perhaps interpreted with that lens, one could say that many people have the Popeye Syndrome.

However, the other possible take on Popeye is that there is a place of sanctified wholeness which refuses to perform or adjust to everyone’s personal expectation on what YOU should be like, act like or look like (within biblically defined discipleship). There is an identity in Christ that the genuinely born-again may say, “This is how God created and wired me and I can be no other”. This reality of individual human uniqueness designed by God is recognized by the various personality profiles and tests that are available both within Christian and secular circles. (Gallup Strength-Finder, Working Genius, Motivational Gift Analysis, are but are few examples.)

The reason this has become relevant to me as of late is that I find myself internally stressed at times to find a way to please people or perform for a perceived outcome of affirmation. That may sound strange coming from me, for I believe I have generally been a well-adjusted Christian man, pastor, leader throughout my lifetime…at least compared to scores of others.

That said, in this new role (and ministry) I am functioning in, I find myself interacting with scores of pastors from every conceivable evangelical flavor imaginable. I have enjoyed the interaction, the challenge, the fellowship, and the “iron sharpening iron” aspects of these relationships. There is always much we agree upon (certainly the essentials), but I find myself stressing with stating my opinions or convictions lest I somehow alienate these relationships and jeopardize the mission of engaging the civic arena.

It’s not compromise…

Those bones are not in my body…

But I must confess there is an over analyze and strategize that is at work in my brain…

Others have little care about stating every thought, opinion, and perspective that may fly through their brain…

They can be who “they are” with little worry about relational repercussions.

Me…on the other hand…

I tend to care a lot about what comes out of my mouth.

And it makes me wonder if there are times that being Popeye might be a whole lot healthier. I am that I am and that’s all that I am. You either like me (maybe love me) for who I am and how God wired me -or- you don’t. I can accept my Christian brothers and sisters with all their faults, frailties, and sometimes imprecision…but can you accept me?

Let me give you an example…

I was traveling the state of Florida recently and found myself in numerous independent, fundamental Baptist Pastor meetings. I mean no disparagement by what I am about ready to say as many of these pastors are on the frontlines of cultural engagement; that said, these circles tend to have some well-defined theological fence lines. Sure, there are lots of things we would agree on, but their list of “essentials” might be a tad longer than mine. Their church culture and fellowship are certainly well-defined. I hesitate to call it sectarian for everyone was extremely friendly to me, but there is no doubt that there is a “vibe” to being accepted.

I experienced this after several consecutive meetings when I could tell the prevailing assumption was, that I was “one of them”. When I explained to one of the pastors attending that I had been a professor at a notable Pentecostal university in the state, as well as a nondenominational, “Spirit-filled” pastor for over 38 years, the expression on his face was an Instagram moment. Our relationship suddenly turned a tad frigid in my estimation. It had been a long time since I had felt, shall we say, “less than”.

The interesting thing I found myself doing internally after that moment was strategically avoiding a full disclosure of my theological roots. I wasn’t hiding my beliefs, but I certainly wasn’t leading with them either. It was a strange internal activity for me as I had never really done that before in my recollection.

I was in that mode only for a couple of days when I realized, like Popeye, “I am that I am and that’s all that I am”. It would include the following (but by no means exhaustive) …

I am a Bible-believing, born-again, Christian who believes Jesus is THE way, THE truth, and THE life, and there is no other way by which people can be saved, except through Him.

I believe the Bible to be without error in all that it touches. Since I read New Testament Greek fluently and can handle the Hebrew acceptably well, I value various translations while understanding their biases and sectarian ways in the translation process.

I am a theological continualist. I have friends who are cessationists and while we disagree with the on-going role of the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of Spiritual Gifts as well as signs and wonders, I call them brothers and sisters in the Lord.

A similar statement could be made concerning the centuries old debate of Calvinism v. Arminianism (Wesleyanism). There are ditches to be avoided on both spectrums of theological thought and I refuse to create “strawmen” of each position to better support my own theological filters. I was formally trained in Wesleyan circles but have read Calvinists copiously through the years and affirm a strong understanding of God’s sovereignty. In much the same way Wesley and Whitefield could debate and argue concerning theological systems, yet remain friends, I desire that same spirit. I figure if people far smarter than I have argued for centuries with no resolution, then it is doubtful I will settle the disagreements.

I believe the Gospel is the death, burial, resurrection, AND ascension of Jesus Christ. His Kingship is the basis of not only personal salvation, but the comprehensive Lordship of ALL of life in every arena of earthly activity. Jesus is no figure-head king. His rule (kingdom) is tangible and demonstrable in the earth. His Lordship and authority cannot be sealed off from any earthy or heavenly arena.

Truth matters to me because it matters to Jesus. There is an objective standard of right and wrong revealed in the Scriptures.

Heresy (or false gospels) irritate me. Most modern heresy is an attempt to somehow make the real Gospel more relevant to a (real or perceived) modern day problem. That attempt will fail every time. The Gospel redeems a sinful person from experiencing a devil’s hell. (Yes, heaven and hell are real, eternal places.)

I attempt to be a happy warrior…

I try to treat all people, even with those I disagree, with a sense of dignity and decorum…

I attempt to walk with a humility that acknowledges I am not the final judge when it comes to biblical interpretation and understanding. I want to be gracious even as I maintain my strong convictions. Truth will, by itself, alienate a great number of people. I can live with that, however, I aspire to live and minister in such a way that my personal foibles cannot be the basis for people rejecting me or the message.

I see politics as a mission field to which pastors must either BE missionaries or send missionaries…

I do not put my trust in elephants (GOP) or donkeys (democrats), their pragmatisms, or their acumen, but in the Lord God alone. I will fearlessly obey the clear teachings of Scripture which leave me no excuse for partial obedience.

So much more could be stated, but I am that I am and that’s all that I am. By God’s grace, I endeavor to live integrally unto Him.

As 2021 is coming to a close, I think I needed a self-reminder before going into 2022, that while needing to be the best “me” I can be, I am that I am as well, and that is all I can be. Perhaps the reader needs to be reminded of that too. God wants to use you. He redeemed you and charted your journey in order to be adequately prepared for what He has in store for you. Don’t hide it or despise it.

And should anyone try to demean it…

Just quote Popeye…