Will the REAL Slim Shady Please Stand Up—How Slim Teaches You How to be a Saint

Will the Real You Please Stand Up? A Reflection on Identity and Transformation

May I have your attention, please?

Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?

We’re going to have a problem here.

These famous lines belong to Eminem—Marshall Mathers, AKA the real Slim Shady. In his Slim Shady LP, Eminem wrestles openly with identity. He came from poverty, abandoned by his father, growing up as a scrawny white kid in Detroit wanting to make it as a rapper. His life was filled with hardship—failed attempts at success, drug abuse, and being abandoned by his dad.

This was not a life you would want anyone to live.

This was not a life Marshall Mathers wanted to live.

He wanted out so badly he attempted suicide.

From that pain, he created “Slim Shady,” an alter ego to cope with his circumstances and to figure out who he really was.

Interestingly, Eminem is a follower of Jesus, and being a follower of Jesus is all about figuring out who we really are—becoming the true, authentic versions of ourselves.

On All Saints’ Day, we remember the holy men and women who came before us. Saints show us a different, better way of living—they point us to Jesus, inviting us to stand up as the real people we were created to be.

In John 11:32-44, we hear the story of Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus who falls ill and dies. When Jesus hears the news, he says, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God.” But Lazarus does die, and by the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. All hope seemed lost. When Jesus asked them to roll away the stone, Lazarus’ sisters protested, saying, “Lord, by this time he stinketh.” (King James Version)

Sometimes, like Eminem, life “stinketh.”

But Jesus didn’t shy away. Standing at Lazarus’ tomb, he called out, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus rose, still wrapped in grave clothes. With this miracle, Jesus unbound Lazarus from death and gave him new life, just as he does for each of us in baptism. Jesus was, in effect, calling for the real Lazarus to please stand up.

Jesus calls each of us out of whatever “tomb” we find ourselves in—the tombs of fear, self-doubt, shame, or addiction. He calls us by name to stand up to a new, abundant life.

The saints we remember were imperfect people, just like us. They had their own struggles and grave clothes to wrestle with. Some walked paths filled with pain and searching, not unlike Eminem’s journey. What made them saints wasn’t perfection, but transformation. They trusted Jesus to strip away what was false, allowing them to become the people God created them to be.

Like Eminem created Slim Shady to cope, we often create our own “false selves”—masks to fit in, walls to protect ourselves, or identities based on others’ expectations. But Jesus calls us to let go of these “false selves.” He invites us to remove our grave clothes, layer by layer, until we find the real “you” that God intended.

The journey toward sainthood isn’t about becoming perfect; it’s about allowing Jesus to transform us, step by step. Saints weren’t superhuman—they were ordinary people who took small, often difficult steps toward their true selves in Christ. They show us what’s possible when we let Jesus work in us, even when it’s hard, even when we’re unsure.

Jesus calls out to you today: “Will the real you please stand up?” He’s calling you to leave behind whatever holds you back, to rise as the grace-filled, beloved child of God that you are.

As Jesus’ people we live this way together. If you’re reading this , know that we want to walk with you as you step out of your grave clothes and into the life Jesus has for you. Even if you’ve been here every Sunday for years, fill out a visitor card. Let’s connect, so we can take the next steps together.

Jesus has more in store for you than you could ever ask or imagine. Stand up and let the Holy Spirit reveal the real you.

Amen.