When was the last time you read a children’s book? What I love best about a well-written story for kids is the way it taps into relatable truth for all ages. With silly rhymes and whimsical illustrations, one of the all-time greats at doing this is Theodor Geisel, more widely known as Dr. Seuss. Using fantastical creatures in imaginary settings, this beloved author plays on our heartstrings and gently pricks our consciences as he highlights different aspects of human nature.
You’re probably familiar with his most popular books like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat, but one of my favorites is a lesser known one called The Sneetches and Other Stories. The title story describes creatures called Sneetches who spend their time roaming on beaches. There are two kinds of Sneetches: Star-Belly and Plain-Belly. Star-Belly Sneetches think they are superior to Plain-Belly Sneetches and the story opens by describing the division between them:
“When the Star-Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts
Or picnics or parties or marshmallow roasts,
They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches,
They left them out cold, in the dark on of the beaches.”
Maybe you can identify with the Plain-Belly Sneetches. You know how it feels to be an outsider or an outcast. Overlooked. Inconsequential. Perhaps, like me, you’re having flashbacks to seventh grade or freshman year in high school. Or maybe there are still times you struggle feeling like you don’t fit in (which I can also relate to, by the way).
That’s one of the many reasons I’m excited to dive into the book of Ephesians this fall. In six power-packed chapters the Apostle Paul urges us to understand how putting our faith in Jesus opens the door for us to be adopted into the household of God. Being grafted into a holy and eternal family regardless of our background means our identity and value aren’t based on our pedigree, but on the unmerited favor of God expressed through Christ: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.” (Ephesians 1:7-8, NIV) When we grasp the deep significance of God’s grace, we can live like we’re loved, regardless of our place in the world.
The first three chapters of Ephesians describe who we were apart from Jesus and who we’ve become through Him. Chapter 1 explains how God chose us and marked us with the Holy Spirit. Chapter 2 reminds us who we were in the absence of Christ: “excluded, foreigners, without hope, without God, far away, separated from God, alienated, strangers, outsiders.” Contrasting this grim reality Paul then describes the identity of those who have accepted Christ: “fellow citizens, members of God’s family, reconciled to God, having access to the Father, a holy dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (These lists include words from several translations.) Only Jesus’ death and resurrection make this dramatic change possible. Ephesians 3 takes us further by describing the abundant spiritual inheritance we have as members of God’s family, the blessings we receive through Christ, and the vastness of God’s love for us.
While Paul’s opening chapters solidify our new identity in Christ, the second half of Ephesians shifts to show us how to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” we’ve received. (Ephesians 4:1b, ESV) With practical and specific wisdom, he explains the importance of recognizing our spiritual gifts and using them to continue maturing in our faith. He illustrates the significance of believers joining together so they can reveal Christ to the world. Paul gives instructions for how to “live as children of light,” (Ephesians 5:8b, NIV), how to relate to others, and how to carry out our responsibilities as believers.
Paul’s letter ends by reminding us of the spiritual armor available to all believers. He charges us to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” (Ephesians 6:10, NIV) He urges us to recognize our true adversary is not other people, but the devil and “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12d, NIV)
Discovering who we are in Christ changes how we see ourselves and relate to others. Look at how a new identity changes the Plain-Belly Sneetches after they ride through a “star on” machine:
“Then they yelled at the ones who had stars from the start,
‘We’re exactly like you! You can’t tell us apart.
We’re all just the same, now, you snooty old smarties!
And now we can go to your frankfurter parties.”
While they’re a bit more brash than we’re called to be, the Plain Bellies’ new identity boosts their confidence and gives them a sense of belonging. Attending frankfurter parties may not be the pinnacle of joy and belonging for you, but understanding your unconditional acceptance into the family of God should change everything. Feeling like an “insider” or an “outsider” in the earthly realm becomes inconsequential in the light of God’s great love for us.
I can’t wait to unpack this life-altering truth with you in upcoming posts. (I’ll be working through Ephesians using a study guide written by Jackie Hill Perry, Melissa Kruger and Jasmine Holmes. Click here if you’d like to order a copy.)
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Dr. Seuss, The Sneetches and Other Stories, Random House, 1961. Click here to read “The Sneetches” by Dr. Seuss