As I Am

I have come to affirm paradoxes as expressions of deep truth. Jesus taught with paradox, such as: She who saves her own life will lose it."

It is the paradox taught by Carl Rogers that has kept me going:


              "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."

It was during my college years that I first read the works of Carl Rogers, the father of humanistic psychology and client-directed therapy. His central dogma sounded strangely like the hymn I had sung 10,000 times--"Just As I Am." But the message from Rogers came through more purely, without the accompanying contradiction of 'God loves you just as you are, but you're never good enough' type of judgment. Carl Rogers preached the gospel to me in psychological terms that began to help me travel in the direction of self-acceptance. 

Then there was that other 'Rogers'--Fred Rogers, known as Mr. Rogers. He too taught the truth of 'I like you just the way you are.' Mr. Rogers (the Reverend Fred Rogers, a Presbyterian minister) spoke to children. But the child in each of us heard what he said. His weird, sing-songy, effeminate voice and mannerisms could easily get in the way of some folk. But his authenticity swept away any doubt in my mind. Mr. Rogers became another evangelistic for me--beckoning me on toward self-acceptance.

In college and seminary I came upon the theologian Paul Tillich. His sermon on 'Acceptance' drove home the truth. "We are accepted, even though we are unacceptable. Accept your acceptance!" Again, the paradox of the gospel came to me forcefully through his theology. Tillich added the transcendent element to the message. He said the acceptance he spoke of was an acceptance that came from beyond us. Like the good Lutheran that he was, he emphasized the 'alien righteousness' that comes from God.

Accepting ourselves as we are--and accepting others just as they are--is a paradox of grace. It is an acceptance that enables change and growth.