A Wrestling MisMatch
Have you been to a wrestling match recently?
And no, I’m not imagining John Cena, or even someone like Hulk Hogan or the Undertaker. I mean like a normal High School wrestling match—one with weight classes and holds and those awkward singlets.
Have you ever seen a kid wrestle who was way outmatched in their weight division? Maybe the underdog who wrestles at the bottom of one weight class against someone who really ought to be in the next class up?
It’s obvious to those of us in the stands when there’s a mismatch on the mat.
It’s not so obvious when the wrestling match is internal.
There are lots of students who are in the middle of intense wrestling matches—internal wrestling matches—about their identity, their sense of self, their internal profile. It’s a match about who they are versus who’s popular around them…
…versus what’s trending in their friend circle,
…versus what they’ve been told by culture.
Unfortunately for many of our students, their wrestling match is a mismatch. The influences around them are powerful and pervasive, and when the moment comes for this question to be answered, too many of our students are submitting on the mat to whatever influence is strongest at that moment. … and as a result, they are choosing to identify themselves however, and with whatever traits and attributes that get the most press.
We don’t have to settle for the identity the world and secular culture wish to foist onto us. We take our cues from Scripture—that we have been formed in the image and likeness of God, that as such we have been created with purpose and dignity, and that our lives are infinitely valuable regardless of what we contribute… that we are loved by the Lord of all creation, that He paid the ultimate price for our brokenness, and that our futures are secure in His Hands… that our work can be meaningful, regardless of the task, that family is a gift from God, in spite of the dysfunction, and that our physical and biological form is precious and holy in His eyes, no matter the reflection in the mirror.
Let’s train our students to prepare for this wrestling match by planting truth in their hearts and spirits; here’s a passage of Scripture to consider as you’re having conversations with your students (and even your spouse).
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."
(Ephesians 1:3-8, NLT)
And no, I’m not imagining John Cena, or even someone like Hulk Hogan or the Undertaker. I mean like a normal High School wrestling match—one with weight classes and holds and those awkward singlets.
Have you ever seen a kid wrestle who was way outmatched in their weight division? Maybe the underdog who wrestles at the bottom of one weight class against someone who really ought to be in the next class up?
It’s obvious to those of us in the stands when there’s a mismatch on the mat.
It’s not so obvious when the wrestling match is internal.
There are lots of students who are in the middle of intense wrestling matches—internal wrestling matches—about their identity, their sense of self, their internal profile. It’s a match about who they are versus who’s popular around them…
…versus what’s trending in their friend circle,
…versus what they’ve been told by culture.
Unfortunately for many of our students, their wrestling match is a mismatch. The influences around them are powerful and pervasive, and when the moment comes for this question to be answered, too many of our students are submitting on the mat to whatever influence is strongest at that moment. … and as a result, they are choosing to identify themselves however, and with whatever traits and attributes that get the most press.
We don’t have to settle for the identity the world and secular culture wish to foist onto us. We take our cues from Scripture—that we have been formed in the image and likeness of God, that as such we have been created with purpose and dignity, and that our lives are infinitely valuable regardless of what we contribute… that we are loved by the Lord of all creation, that He paid the ultimate price for our brokenness, and that our futures are secure in His Hands… that our work can be meaningful, regardless of the task, that family is a gift from God, in spite of the dysfunction, and that our physical and biological form is precious and holy in His eyes, no matter the reflection in the mirror.
Let’s train our students to prepare for this wrestling match by planting truth in their hearts and spirits; here’s a passage of Scripture to consider as you’re having conversations with your students (and even your spouse).
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."
(Ephesians 1:3-8, NLT)