Dr. Tom Pace

1 Corinthians 15:10a (NIV)

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.

Reflection:
I call this the “Popeye the Sailor Man” verse, and it is one of my favorites. In the midst of the great depression, cartoonist E.C. Segar created a profoundly human character, who claimed his identity each and every episode with a catchy little ditty that has endured for almost a century.

I’m Popeye the sailor man.

I’m Popeye the sailor man.

I yam what I yam and dat’s all what I yam

I’m Popeye the sailor man, toot toot.  (For the uninformed…  https://youtu.be/LzHmunZxJeM)

Popeye and St. Paul apparently think along the same lines. Both share an enviable boldness and confidence. Both are comfortable being themselves, regardless of who other people say they should be.  Psychologist Carl Jung said that “the privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” That quest for authenticity, to be comfortable in your own skin, isn’t something that comes easily. It takes some work. Popeye and Paul both seem to have it figured out.

Popeye and Paul both recognize that their identity and strength come from something outside of themselves. For Popeye, it is, of all things, a can of spinach. (Personally, I believe canned spinach is one nasty vegetable, almost on par with boiled okra.) For St. Paul, his identity comes from something far more significant. It comes from the grace of God. It is God who created each of us and gave each one a unique identity, created with great purpose and care. We do not create our own identities out of whole cloth. Instead, we discover them in relationship with a living God available to us in Christ, uncover them through the work of the Holy Spirit, and gain clarity through a lifetime of experiences in which God shows up to shape us and remind each of us of our individual value. Nobody else can be you. In one episode, “I’m Popeye,” Wimpy dons a disguise and pretends to be Popeye, and it surely infuriates the real sailor man.  https://youtu.be/GYZH_4yo170 

There is one more important component to the Bible verse. God’s grace has “had its effect.” It transforms the one who receives it. Paul finishes the verse by saying that because of God’s grace, he is working harder than ever to be the person God made him to be, accomplishing the mission God sent him to accomplish, actualizing that grace in service to others. Becoming who we are is not to be a self-centered act but is based on the belief that there are purposes God has for us, contributions that we are made to offer, gifts that are to be used for God’s glory. The journey is about discovering those – learning who we really are, that we can say with confidence, “I yam what I yam and dat’s all what I yam,” and it is all by the grace of God.

Creative God, show me who you made me to be, so that I can become that person for the sake of your kingdom, all by the grace of God. Amen.