CHRISTOVERT: Beyond the Boxes

On August 12, the word CHRISTOVERT became a noun in one of my SELAHs. 😄 My friend Ashlyn even made an image for it! I received this word which we can't find in any dictionary, but somehow this little word began to express something very close to my heart.

We live in a world where we love putting ourselves into boxes. Introvert. Extrovert. Ambivert. But as I thought more about following Jesus, I began to wonder, what if I am not called to become more introverted or more extroverted, but more Christ-like?

To me, that is what a Christovert means. Not another personality box, but a person who is continuously being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ by the precious Holy Spirit. Christlikeness becoming our true personality.

And then came the Gospel of Mark!!

In one of his sermons, our pastor had encouraged us to definitely read the Gospel of Mark, and I decided to take it up next. I had read the Gospel of Mark before, but this time I wanted to read it with a different question...

"Jesus, how can I become more like You? How can I become a Christovert?"

From August 24 to September 1, I ate through all 16 chapters in just eight days. And now that I have reached the end, I honestly feel so grateful. I feel like my inner man has been fed so well! 😄 So many calories! Long way to go....

But more than finishing the Gospel of Mark, I feel like I have spent these days looking at Jesus. I watched Him. I noticed Him. I paused over His words. I laughed at the disciples. I was challenged by Him.. Some verses made me uncomfortable. Some made me want to cry. And some made me simply say, "My Jesus!"

And after all 16 chapters, one thing became clearer to me.... I don't just want to know Jesus. I want His character to be formed in me!!!

His compassion.
His humility.
His courage.
His holiness.
His prayer life.
His love.
His servant heart.
His obedience.
His surrender.

I want to pray like Him.
To love like Him.
To serve like Him.
To notice like Him.
To forgive like Him.
To stand firm like Him.
To surrender like Him.
To obey the Father like Him.

When I saw Jesus withdrawing to be with His father and then going towards people, I realised He wasn't living according to a personality label. He knew what the Father wanted, and He did it!

When I saw hiis compassion for people who didn't even ask Him for help, I asked myself, "AM I THOUGHTFUL LIKE JESUS?"

When I saw Him welcome children, serve others and turn greatness upside down, I asked, "Am I willing to become small so that someone else can be lifted?"

When I saw Him surrender in Gethsemane, and then willingly walk towards the cross, I could only think, "What kind of love is this?"

And then Barabbas!

The guilty man walked free while Jesus took his place.... Barabbas is me🥹. Jesus took my place.

And then the tomb was empty.

MY JESUS IS ALIVE!❤️

So this journey through the Gospel of Mark has brought me back to the word that started this journey for me. CHRISTOVERT. It is about allowing Christ to transform the person I am.

The old man has died with Christ. The new man is being conformed to His image. My personality is not something I need to destroy, but neither is it something I want to be ruled by. I want Christ to shape how I think, respond, love, serve and live.

Precious Holy Spirit, form Christ in me. Take everything that makes me me and bring it under the Lordship of Jesus. Make His character increasingly visible in me.

And to you reading this, don't spend your whole life trying to fit yourself into boxes. You don't have to become the perfect introvert, extrovert or ambivert.

Let the precious Holy Spirit make you Christ-like. Become a Christovert. Because maybe the question isn't only, "What kind of person am I?"

Maybe the deeper question is: "How much of Jesus can people see in the person I am becoming?" Father God, Oh, How we love You!

In Jesus' name, Amen.