To Thine Own Self Be True

Ministerial Meandering

To thine own self be true

I was talking to a friend the other day, and this person was telling me about a girl friend of theirs who was a nurse in a local hospital.  They were meeting at a party, and this girl was a self- assured person, putting herself about - one might say.

A second friend turned up (male), and having been introduced, found that the two of them worked at the same hospital - though they had never met.  Once the nurse had said what she did, she asked the man what floor he worked on, and he replied that he was a trauma doctor.

There was an instant change in the nurse’s demeanour, stance, and attitude.  She stood up straighter, took more notice, and acquired a more deferential approach.  Why should this be?

I’ll leave you to dwell on that for a moment, while I tell you that the 350 million year old lobster also has a social dominance characterized by its posture and demeanour. Yes - really.

Furthermore, every thug in the street knows who is most likely to make a soft target by the way they carry themselves.  If you are hunched over and head down, you are already exhibiting a posture of victimhood; if you stand up straight and put your shoulders back, you exhibit a sense of confidence and ability - and your average thug (especially on his own) is unlikely to go for that person.

But what are you - exactly?  I recall when I was studying on my thesis in a research department at Manchester University, and working in a laboratory.  One day a guy came in that I had never seen before and asked me who I was.  I explained that I was MrMarcuson’s Senior Registrar (Resident) in Vascular Surgery, doing my research under Professor Berry.

His response shook me.  He said, “I didn’t ask you what you did - I asked you who you were!”

I was rather affronted and hurt - but I thought for a microsecond or two, and realized he was right.  I had defined myself by my occupation, and that really had nothing to do with who I was.  So I tried again, and my second attempt seemed to make him happier.

You ladies (and some gentlemen nowadays) put on make-up, and have learned the art of what is called ‘power-dressing’ - specifically to make an impression.  But is it a true impression of who and what you are?  For centuries women have got themselves into tricky situations by dressing provocatively, and advertising something that (sometimes) isn’t actually for sale.  That’s called p***k-teasing, and definitely unfair to the visually driven male.  One doesn’t need to go to the other extreme, however, and cover up entirely in a black sack with a post-box slit for eyes.  Perhaps neither of these images is being true to the individual inside the clothing.

I talked briefly about clothing last Sunday in the sermon, acknowledging that David eventually approached Goliath in what was appropriate clothing for him, and represented a true picture of who he was.  Whilst not wishing to place too much emphasis on what we wear, I would ask that we do try and present a true picture of who we really are to each other, and not hide behind either irrelevant or inappropriate clothing - or attitudes that are adopted simply to make an impression.

Let’s just truly be ourselves.

Philip+