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What Percent of My DNA is Shared with Other “Races?”

Diversity training make you nervous? Will the trainer be angry, have a hidden agenda, desire to make you feel guilty, or despise your type, whatever that is? What about recent conversation about differences? Have they gone well, or did they result in name calling, blaming or even resentment? Were you genuinely changed, or did you leave more entrenched?

I Am Done is committed to working across cultures (and to connecting people to other ministries and churches that are better suited to meet their respective needs). As such, we will learn how to work courageously but also wisely and humbly in this space. Within this spirit, God ordained a day with a wise soul, Dr. Adrianne Fletcher, to facilitate our growth. Joining us were allies, friends, and local leaders.

What does it mean to work across cultures? Think of any group that does not adhere to the general principles and “ways” that your “culture” assumes to be normal. Most of you may be thinking this is a color-thing — consider the following examples.

  • Millennials and Generation Z-ers
  • Baby-boomer evangelical men and emerging church skinny jean men
  • Liberal blacks and conservative blacks
  • Catholics and protestants
  • Dark skinned blacks and lighter skinned blacks
  • Women and men
  • People of color and those with less melanin
  • College educated white collar and blue collar
  • Are there more “cultures” than you initially thought?

Think of anyone you pre-judged when you initially met? Sadly, some of these pre-judgements are grounded in valid experiences, but should that apply to the person you are just meeting?

How would you feel if you were never pre-judged again?

Back to our starting question: What percent of my DNA is shared with other “races?”

99.2%

The other 0.8% is due primarily to geography. For example, if you originated from a hot, sunny climate, you are more likely to have darker skin. Are most native Scandinavians dark-skinned ? What does this mean?

Biologically, race does not exist. Let’s say that again. Biologically, race is not a thing. Race is a sociological construct.

We learned we share 99.2% or so of our DNA with any and every human on this planet, male or female. The parts I do not share are based primarily on the geography of my descendants.

We will add discussions on what we are learning about working cross-culturally, and if you want my cliff notes . . .

Set myself aside

This does not mean that I give up my values nor myself, but am I willing to patiently listen and sit with others? For example, will I visit their home, eat their food, and listen to their stories? Will I pause and learn, or must I overwhelm them with my values, opinions, and platforms?

Love

The simplest yet maybe the most complicated of words. Will I love them, especially if they are NOT just like me, from one of my sociologically crafted “cultures?”

What would happen if we started doing even these two things?

We will be conducting more training with Dr. Fletcher, pictured above with Jordan, one of our leaders. If invited, we hope you would consider attending.

By the way, why Dr. Fletcher? Imagine intense kindness, genuine gentleness, deep wisdom, and intentional patience as the source of your facilitation. Her motives were beautiful, her methods were engaging, and her skill and experience were evident. If you want to engage with her directly, contact us and we will forward your information to her.

Lord, help me to love others, especially those I don’t easily understand.

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be you?

Is telling someone to “be you” godly or wise?

It is now common to advocate that others “be you,” thought to reflect the ultimate in inclusiveness. Let’s see if it is actually wise or even tolerant.

I am proposing that you are to be the “God-intended” you. How is this different from telling someone to simply “be you?”

Think of the toddler-play-pit at the fast food restaurant filled with hand sized plastic balls — too many to count. Imagine each ball represents an identity you can believe about yourself, and each comes with a set of desires you might choose. In today’s world, some of these balls are our sexual identification, our character, our purpose, our place, or our very value.

Examples of identity could be: I am a boy today, I am more valuable than my parents, I am abandoned and lost, I am angry, I am worthless, I am unlovely, I am a puppy (yes, this is a thing).

From these, examples of desire could be:  I want to have sex with another girl. I want to disrespect and hurt my parents. I want to isolate and tell the world to f-off. I want to rage against others with my words, fists, abuse or bullets. I want to kill myself. I want to offer myself in a way where I get hurt because I deserve it. I want to leave a gift on your carpet.

Go Be You!

If you truly advocate this, how can you get upset when they live out what you just encouraged them to be and do?

I am proposing that amidst those many plastic balls is the one (or ones) that will bless and protect you.

Scripture says that God will give you the desires of your heart, but not all of them. He will give you the ones that are the fruit of your delighting in Him (Ps. 37:4). Then, as the ultimate good father that He is, He’ll give you the identity, or name, He always intended for you. This is the one that is good, holy, and uniquely yours — your way to offer your God-given gifting and glory to the world on and for His behalf.

Examples of His identity for someone could be: You are Israel, not Jacob. You are Paul, not Saul. You are the Sons of Thunder. You are my Perfect Beloved. You are Cornerstone. You are Messenger. You are my Beloved Daughter. You are Arthur.

Then, related desires could be: [Israel] I am one who strives with God, no longer a supplanter. [Paul] I am called as an apostle, one set apart for the gospel of God, no longer an accuser of the brethren. [Sons of Thunder] We are men of power for the kingdom. [Perfect Beloved] I am perfect in His eyes, no longer a disappointment in my own. [Cornerstone] I have strength to protect and love my family, no longer a 16-year-old living in a 40-year-old man’s body. [Messenger] I am gifted to bring the message of the gospel to others, no longer a player who can talk myself out of any accountability. [Beloved Daughter] I am a daughter of a king, no longer an abandoned child whose childhood was stolen. [Arthur] I am a king, able to lead and serve others well, no longer needing to hide.

Imagine if each of you found the specific balls that include your God-ordained identity. How would this change your understanding of who you are and what you desire to offer the world?

Let’s go back to our current: “Be you.”

Encouraging someone to grab any ball without holding to a criteria, or foundational truth, eliminates your ability to judge them if they do something harmful — you did tell them to “Be You.” Could you even be complicit in the evil they cause by not having had the courage to stand for truth? Might this be foolish?

And, many people who say “Be You” are advocating for freedoms never intended in scripture (yes, you can identity as a puppy) — the freedom to sin as one chooses. At the same time, some of these ‘be you-ers” label those who follow biblical truths as haters and evil. Is this tolerant, or intolerant?

Should this be a surprise? It says in Romans 1:35 that “although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”

I Am Done exists to help you find and live out of your God-intended identity, or name, and desires. We help you find your plastic ball that has your God-intended name. 

Saying “be you” can be good and wise if it means to be the “you” God always intended.

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Road Rage? No, Road Repose.

How many things aren’t tainted by darkness?

The more I observe, the more I’m convinced we have been seduced and slumbered by the matrix. Would examples be helpful?

God’s word says: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Phil 2:3-4).

But, our favorite entrainment says: win at all costs, get revenge, self-promote, it is ALL about our own interests.

I hear believers gush over media that inculcates the exact opposite of God’s character, clearly disregarding the directive to guard our hearts as the wellsprings of our lives — garbage in, garbage out.

We allow darkness to disciple us, then we find living with and for Christ a challenge.

God’s word says: Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle which feed among the lilies. Until [f]the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense (song of Solomon 4:5-6).

Scripture describes passionate lovemaking between a husband and a wife, not being coy about two breasts like fawns and the mountain of myrrh. God designed sex as a stunning gift to be enjoyed in the sanctity of godly marriage — He created delight, orgasm, sensuality, beauty, strength, touch and so much more.

But endless messages marginalize and degrade virgins as fools even as science affirms that faithfulness brings greater joy — less than 5% of couples who wait until their marriage night divorce — across all cultures and faiths, or non-faiths.

The enemy embalms us in the devaluation of sex, then we wonder why our lives endure endless drama, disappointment, manipulation, shame and pain.

God’s word says: something brilliant and wise . ..

. . . but the enemy counters with its lies, and then leverages our old man and the world to make evil sound good, and goodness sound countercultural, mean spirited, even  bad.

Can you think of your own examples of God’s truth corrupted in practice? 

So, what can I do? How can I navigate this? It depends on what you want. Truth be told, it can feel good, in the moment, to engage in sin, but the dark delight will ultimately bring death and destruction with deep layers of shame and self-accusation.

Step one:

Do you think God stunning beyond words? If not, alternatives will steal your gaze.

Step two:

Get really close to Him? Suggestions.

  • Read you bible– Learn what is brilliant and great for you. Having walked alongside people for decades, I can say simply — God’s plan works.
  • Go to a church– It is chic to dis “organized religion” or “the church,” especially within Christendom. I can suggest many great places, all imperfect, but all with people just like you and me, struggling yet desiring to grow.
  • Pray– I guarantee you’ll struggle with this. Few actually pray, and it is brilliant. Click here, and get this very short yet entertaining book on prayer.
  • Arm Yourself– It says we are to put on the full armor of God every day. Why? How many examples must I spell out to make the presence and impact of our enemy upon your world, your relationships and your emotions clear?
  • Hang with Pappa – How have I seen this? One man says each of his paintings is a prayer (alla Monet). Another gets close to god creating music. I employ a great cigar, the outdoors, my bible, and a journal. Others dance, or sit, or pray, or work out. Some blast worship music as they drive or drive in silence and speak with God. What is your way to be close with God?

The enemy takes what God intends for good and twists it to make it dark, sometimes with almost imperceptible shifts and other times with obscene transformations.

Want to discern whether what you value is actually good and true? See Step Two above.