This Is Me: An Anthem

Confession: I still haven’t seen that new movie, The Greatest Showman. (Nothing against the movie itself; we just rarely go to the theater to watch movies for the first time because it’s much cheaper to rent them and I don’t get migraines that way.)

But like much of the world I have listened to pieces of the soundtrack on repeat.

There are a lot of covers already popping up all over the place and one song in particular caught my ear and my heart. “This is Me” is an anthem of self acceptance and inclusion, a message for the world. But as I listened to several versions (click here to listen to my two favorites,) I heard undertones of a different message.

If I did a music video of this piece It would show a black and white picture of me and then the words would start to pop up. Not the lyrics, but the messages of darkness that sometimes taint my soul: You’re not good enough, etc. It would be something of a mom guilt anthem, of a woman seeking and desperately grasping onto her life’s purpose.

Somewhere on Youtube I watched an interview where the director and lead actors realized that this song would be “an anthem.” I really love that. But the anthem that I hear isn’t one of accepting my faults and confidently telling the world that I’m okay with these imperfections, perceived and otherwise. 

The song in my soul sings a slightly different tune.

I know I have labels that aren’t true; but in the moment, they feel true enough to stick. I know I have imperfections that make me who I am today; but in this song I hear the message of Christ: Come unto Christ and be perfected in him.

I find the acceptance the movie testifies of by knowing who I am yes. But that knowledge comes from my Heavenly Father who sent his son, Jesus Christ to live and die for me. And for you.

Here is what I hear when life's music starts to play:

I am not a stranger to the dark

Hide away, they say,

'Cause we don't want your broken parts.

I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars.

Run away, they say.

No one'll love you as you are.

But I won't let them break me down to dust

I know that there's a place for us

For we are glorious.

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

[Got to shine your light to] drown them out.

[Christ the Lord came to save

So I could be all] I'm meant to be: 

[He saved me.]

Look out 'cause here I come (here I come)

[There’s a place for all in the Lord’s kingdom

Christ the Lord came to save

So we could be all we’re] meant to be: 

[He saved me.]

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh 

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh 

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh

Another round of bullets hits my skin

Well, fire away 'cause today, I won't let the shame sink in.

We are bursting through the barricades and

Reaching for the [Son] (we are warriors)

Yeah, that's what we've become (yeah, that's what we've become)

[Repent from sin we must.]

I know that there's a place for us,

For we are glorious. 

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

[I feel your love and it drowns] them out.

[Christ the Lord came to save

So I could be all] I'm meant to be: 

[He saved me.]

[Someday again He’ll come

And with grace He’ll rule in His kingdom.

Christ the Lord came to save

So we could be all we’re] meant to be, [set us free.]

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh (He saved me…)

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh (He set us free....)

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

[I will shine your light and] drown them out.

[Christ the Lord came to save

So I could be all] I'm meant to be: [He saved me.]