Imposter Syndrome

The Tour de France is one of the many things that has been canceled or delayed this year.  The three week race usually happens in July, but the 2020 edition happened in September.  Irishman, Sam Bennett, won the green sprinter's jersey.  (You can read all about the Tour and the various jerseys in my Lessons from the Peloton here and here.)

 

In an article from Cycling News, Sam talked about his emotions.  From teary eyed to joyful.  But this statement is what really caught my attention, "sometimes you can have a little bit of imposter syndrome that you don’t know if you’re good enough to be in this position."

 

Imposter Syndrome.  I've been chewing on those two words for several days now.  We notice when someone is puffed up with pride, but what about those who never accomplish anything because they don't feel they're good enough?  An article from Unlocking the Bible addressed Imposter Syndrome and Christianity.  The writer describes Imposter Syndrome:

The imposter syndrome is the name our culture has given to the constant feeling that you do not belong to your own community or that your accomplishments are illegitimate. Far from humility, this is an irrational state of paranoia that causes us to think of ourselves more as we think less of ourselves.  (source)

My Bible reading this week took me to the book of 1 Corinthians. Chapter 12 contains an interesting passage about the body of Christ and its members. Paul gives a clear illustration in verses 15 through 21:

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

It's interesting that Paul spends more time talking about the parts comparing themselves to another part. Only verse 21 talks about an eye or a head saying they don't need another part. How often do people get discouraged because they compare themselves to someone else? "Because I'm not the preacher, I'm not important to the body." "Because I'm not the head usher, I'm not important to the body." "Because I'm not..."

 

It would be an awfully strange looking body if it was entirely made up of eyes. God is the Designer. Just as He designed our bodies to function, so He designed each of us to function within the body of Christ. Be who God called you to be.  Grow your talent.  You are God's child and that's all you need to know to know that you do belong.