If anyone would have had a good reason to want to alter her/his genetic assignment, it would have been Jesus.  But, why didn’t He pursue that?

When we ‘look unto Jesus’, we never see any vestiges of self-interest, whether self-actualization or self-aggrandizement.  So we don’t see Him scurrying about in a restless pursuit of self-fulfillment.  Quite the contrary.  We see a ‘human being’ (though also God in the flesh) determined to make nothing of self and everything of God, the Father.  Jesus’ values and virtues were all funneled together into His relentless involvement in the things of God.  Therefore, we see Him much preoccupied with several convictions.

First, Jesus was preoccupied with an acknowledgement of the POSITION of GOD.   Jesus once said, ‘No one has ever seen God, except the One and Only Son, Who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known’.  John 1:18.  And when He talked about God, Jesus said that God is ‘Our Father Who is in Heaven.  Hallowed is Your Name’.  God exists in such a position that Jesus Himself was compelled to ‘humble Himself’ before God.  Jesus carefully lived before Him Who is ‘High and lifted up’.  There was no room for living for self.

Second, Jesus was preoccupied with the advancement of the PRINCIPLES of GOD.  Twice Jesus mentioned His preoccupation with the will of God.  He said, ‘My food is to do the will of Him (the Father) Who sent Me and to finish His work’ (John 4:34) and ‘I have come not to do My own will, but the will of Him Who sent Me’ (John 6:38).  This conviction left no room for living for self.

Third, Jesus was preoccupied with the acceptance of the PURPOSES of GOD.  On the night of His betrayal by Judas Iscariot, while wrestling with the realities of what that betrayal meant as it played out over the next 24 hours, Jesus said, ‘Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me, but nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done’.  (Luke 22:42).  Jesus’ conviction concerning the purposes of God regardless of the pain associated with those purposes left no room for living for self.

In light of the example and teaching of Jesus, my thoughts about ‘transgenderism’ are these…

Perhaps those who struggle with their unique personal identity and gender assignment, who struggle with being ‘trapped’ in an assignment that they do not like or want, who long for a way of dealing with the feelings of longing for relief, could benefit from following Jesus’ example and put God above self and faith above feelings.  Perhaps this would allow them to find enough strength to exchange the effort of ‘reordering culture’ (a temporary relief at best) for the enjoyment of discovering a ‘relationship with Christ’ (a permanent freedom at the least).

As one of our beloved songs suggests ‘…reach out to Jesus, He’s reaching out to you’….

Most of us will only ever overhear conversations about or read articles addressing ‘transgender’ issues.  Rarely and probably most reluctantly would we ever be drawn into a discussion of this extremely volatile subject.  With no lack of emotions and little limit to the preponderance of opinions, it seems best to simply stay a bit in the background and quietly live out our faith unless we are asked to offer a personal assessment.  But, what if we’re asked to contribute an opinion?  What should we say?  How should we respond?  What Biblical advice/counsel would we give?  How should we feel about the feelings of others who want desperately to change who they are?  What would Jesus say?

These are questions I’ve thought about and today and tomorrow I’d like to offer a response.

As with all issues related to life and godliness, it is safest to begin at the place all substantive discussions should begin–‘looking unto Jesus’.  (Hebrews 12:2)  And as we look at Him, we see one undeniable fact that relates directly to the ‘transgender’ conundrum:  in His birth, Jesus received a ‘genetic assignment’ that affected Him far more profoundly than any female or male assignment would ever affect us.

For humans, our reality could only ever be one marked by the combination of x/y human chromosomes, resulting in an emotional affinity associated with that genetic distribution.  We would either accept or aggressively disdain our assignment.  We may ‘like’ being female or male.  Or we may not like being either.  But our feelings will only ever be about being a human male or female, no more or no less.

Jesus, on the other hand, was called upon to receive an identity completely different from Who He was–an identity that remarkably altered His existence.  God explains it like this in Philippians 2:5-8:  ‘(Jesus)…being in His very nature God, did not think that equality with God was something to be grasped.  But, He made Himself nothing, taking upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in human likeness.  And being found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross’.

Think of it!  Jesus, though being God (limitless and without need), was assigned a human (limited and needy) genetic makeup.  Along with that assignment, He experienced the trauma of being mocked, misunderstood, ridiculed, challenged, falsely accused, spat upon, beaten, tried in a corrupt court, crucified and speared.  And it wasn’t as if He was undisturbed about His assignment.  Once He said that He was ‘exceedingly sorrowful to the point of death’ (Mark 14:34).  Another time He asked Father God if ‘this cup might pass from me’ (Luke 22:42).  Surely, Jesus was not without reason to not only question His assignment, but to long for its removal.  But, WHY DIDN’T HE TRY TO CHANGE HIS GENETIC ASSIGNMENT so that He could feel better about His life?  Why didn’t He use His creative and unlimited power to ‘re-assign’ for Himself a more desirable and freer makeup?  Why didn’t He just ‘re-assign’ Himself into His ‘God-hood’ and simply tell/force/require  everyone around Him to not only accept it but to champion it?  Why?