Our True Identity

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Thomas Grueter has always had trouble putting names with faces.  But unlike most of us who might have trouble recollecting the name, Grueter's trouble lies in recognizing the face--even if it is his own mother's.  His condition is called prosopagnosia or "face blindness," and until recently the disorder was thought to be exceedingly rare.  But new research led by a team that included Grueter himself shows the disorder is surprisingly common.

Those affected with prosopagnosia are not forgetful or inattentive, nor are they the social snobs they are often accused of being.  When it comes to faces--even their own--they see very little that distinguishes one from another.  The part of the brain that signals face recognition simply does not respond.  As a result, they may greet acquaintances as strangers, struggle to keep up with plots in movies, or have difficulty finding their own children at school pick-up time.  "I see faces that are human," notes one woman of her condition, "but they all look more or less the same.  It's like looking at a bunch of golden retrievers: some may seem a little older or smaller or bigger, but essentially they all look alike."

What must it be like to look in the mirror and see a perfect stranger staring back at you?  How difficult must it be to not be able to recognize yourself in a photograph?

Many Christians have difficulty recognizing themselves, not because they cannot distinguish faces, but simply because they do not recognize their own identity in Christ.  They do not see how their Christian identity should affect everything from their attitudes to their choice of career.  Failing to understand how being a Christian should affect the way you think and live is like looking in the mirror and seeing a perfect stranger. 

It is my prayer that we will all discover our true identity in Christ.

With Love,

Mike