What do you find your identity in? Or, what defines you? Better yet, you would you be if you didn't have money, fame, that great job, the girlfriend or wife, the ability to run, kick, pass, dribble, or music? Who would you be?
That question keeps coming up as I walk through life with a few people who seem to be having a identity crisis. Some of this may seem like little things and I'm making much to do about nothing. I think back on my life as a child when I found my identity in who my parent and grandparents told me I was. A cute boy, who made noises like sirens, horns, and race cars passing by. I had a quick wit so I was also considered to be the class comedian. If I wanted attention in any way shape or form, I'd just do what got me the attention. The attention was partly what defined me.
As I got older it turned to sports, and the girl I was with, but included the things mentioned above. I still valued the things I had been told as a youngster and decided to add compliments to my sport ability, and a trophy at my side. I'd obviously won her heart by doing what I do, and being "me", right?
As an older teen I got into finding the job that paid the most, so I could flash a few bills, and buy a car that was cool so I could impress that girl, and everyone else who looked in my direction. Oh yeah, we're talking 1993 Chevy Cavalier Sedan. I blacked out the windows, put some sound in it, and kept it clean. But I moved on up the chain to a 1994 S10 about a year later. This one got dropped, rims, blackouts, sound, exhaust, bed cover, induction upgrade, stronger manual transmission, and it stayed real clean. Yeah, I think that along with the people it drew attention from defined me. Not to mention the trophy chick.
We all desire status, recognition, praise, dare I say... GLORY!
We all desire this. Why?
Well, I contend that it all goes back to Genesis 1-3. We are created in the image of the Creator, the One worthy of this stat, recognition, praise, and glory. We have the ability to choose if this Creator will define us or if the other things of this world will define us. We choose on a regular basis, given this free will to choose, the shortsightedness of what we can see or think will bring us this glory. This will always end in let down, and disappointment.
I no longer have the cars, money, friends, time, or energy of the things of the past. When most of it came to the end of it's usefulness and either fell apart or floated out of my grasp I found myself depressed and longing for more. Many people at this point would bring up Job from the Old Testament. I would probably actually bring up one of the 12 of Jesus disciples. Pick one. Each had their own story of what they found hope in to bring them a personal status, recognition, praise, or glory. Each one responded differently when it was absent, but they each had this problem. It's a problem that permeates humanity.
Now, how do we fix this?
The answer is always Jesus, but what is the question? The question is, in what do I find my identity in?
The problem lies within the question. The object is not a what because the what will eventually come to an end of it's usefulness and either fall apart, be thrown away, or burned. The object ought to be WHO! In WHOM do I find my identity in?
I grateful that I have experienced the things I have through my life, but I so wish I had not put my hope in the things of this world and the status, recognition, praise, and GLORY it says it brings but can never deliver on.
Could I take a moment and encourage you made it this far in reading my chronicle to take the moments of your day and find your identity in Him as often as you may? For I have found, as many others I know have also, that Jesus is the ONLY one who can offer and fully deliver a complete identity to us on a lifetime basis.
