Chimera

Did any of you catch this show tonight on ABC that my wife likes to watch called Medical Mysteries? They talked about this medical condition, Chimerism. It's a rare condition with only 30 documented cases worldwide.

In Greek mythology, "chimera" means a monster: part goat, part lion, part snake. In human biology, a chimera is an organism with at least two genetically distinct types of cells — or, in other words, someone meant to be a twin. But while in the mother's womb, two fertilized eggs fuse, becoming one fetus that carries two distinct genetic codes — two separate strands of DNA. The twin is invisible, but for chimeras the twin lives microscopically inside the body as DNA.

This condition made Primetime because two women in separate parts of the country were being DNA tested to verify them as mothers of their children. They had pictures and documentation showing they had carried and delivered their children but according to the DNA tests, they were not related. The children had basically recived the genes that existed in only a few parts of the body while the blood and other parts of the mother's body showed a 'different' person.

Anyway, the story got me thinking - two things fused together, becoming one with two distinct strands of DNA. One is visible the other is not. If you're a Jesus-follower, this condition has a lot of similarities: when people look at you, do they see you or Jesus? Has He been given every part of your life so that His DNA shows through? Notice it's two fused together as one but having two strands of DNA. It doesn't mean that my DNA is gone - I'm still alive in Christ. My flavor of life is being lived out with Jesus being who people see when my life gets put under the microscope. My hope is that my 'offspring' (the fruit I bear in my walk with Christ), has His DNA and not mine. That if a 'paternity' test was done on those who are part of the stroy that is my life on this earth, they would bear the characteristics of Christ.

What do you think? Is your life as a Jesus-follower similar to those who are considered Chimeras? If you want to check out the Primetime story or Chimerism, check this out.

Peace.