chameleon

When you hear the word, "chameleon," you probably get an instant picture in your mind. For me, it's the cute little color-changing lizard in the movie "Tangled." Whatever you conjure up as your reference point, our various interpretations will be as individual as we are to each other.

According to Webster, chameleon is:

1

: any of a family (Chamaeleontidae) of chiefly arboreal Old World lizards with prehensile tail, independently movable eyeballs, and unusual ability to change the color of the skin

2

a : a person given to often expedient or facile change in ideas or character 

b : one that is subject to quick or frequent change especially in appearance 

 

Recently, the popular song from the eighties, Karma Chameleon by Culture Club, popped into my head. Just like everyone else, I can't recall all of the lyrics, but I know the chorus:

 

Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon...you come and go, you come and go.

The definition of chameleon also contains a list of synonyms or 'related' words:

egoist, egotist, self-seeker, conniver, plotter, schemer  (ouch!)

And that got me to thinking: 

I think that sometimes we play the chameleon with God. We come and go, we come and go. If things don't go our way, we lose our conviction...we change our colors to suit ourselves, or worse yet, to impress others.

Jesus would be correct in saying, "I heard you say that my love was an addiction. When we cling, our love is strong. [But] when you go, you're gone forever. You string along...you string along."

Additionally, karma is defined:
karma The Buddhist belief that whatever you do comes back to you, e.g. if you do something good, something good will happen to you, and vice versa. (Urban Dictionary) 

The oriental religions claim that they created "karma." But, I know better!

It's was God's idea, to begin with. He called it the Law of Seed Time & Harvest. A universal law, that cannot be broken...whatever you sow, you surely shall reap. If you plant peas, don't expect corn to come up. Call it karma or call it sowing and reaping: whatever you do comes back to you...whether good or bad!

Since that is the case, it would behoove us to follow God closely, so closely that we meld into His shadow, where there is no 'turning,' no changing, no confusion about Who He is and Who we are to Him. 

"I am the Lord, I change not." (Malachi 3:6, KJV) 

"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8, KJV) 

Keeping our colors true, expecting a good harvest from all of our daily choices, that is what I think He desires most of all from us. After all, the human chameleon would be defined as a self-seeker, a conniver, a schemer...who wants to be counted in that number?!

If you choose to be the spiritual chameleon, you can expect bad karma to kick your rear end all over the place. Instead, cling...let your love cling to the one Who loves you most. That's what will make you strong...a clinging love...a true addiction. Like the air that we breathe, His favor must become a necessity to us. No more coming and going, just a desperate clinging to Him!