Identity Crisis

Who do you think you are? 

Simple question, right? But, let's throw in a wrinkle- answer the question without any references back to your job or your family... Gets a lot tougher, right? We often describe ourselves by what we do  or our family- husband, father, pastor, game store owner, etc. Take a minute and really think about who you are minus those roles. What defines you outside of them? Had you ever really thought about the ways your identity was tied to roles instead of actually you?

We define ourselves in so many ways that completely avoid who we are and our society, via identity politics, aims to force us to define ourselves only as some label instead of a wholistic person. The whole conception of identity for a person is often distilled to their sexuality or their race or their religion- often an external characteristic, with nothing to do with the heart of a person. When the entire conception of self is something, it reduces people to less than their selves. Unfortunately, this isn't anything new- it's been part of the lie humanity has swallowed since the beginning. In the beginning, humanity fell for a lie- a lie calculated to make them question who they were.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Do you see it? Throughout the creation account in Genesis 2, in verses 3, 10, 12, 18, and 25, as each portion of creation is made God says it was "good" (טוֹב). Then in verse 27, God makes man in His image, male and female, in the very likeness of their Creator, and affirms in verse 31 it is "very good" (טוֹב מְאוֹד). The initial creation is made in the image of God- mirroring who He is. Creative, loving, perfect, holy, just- everything good. They had everything they needed and even had an intimate relationship with their Creator, but there was still room for doubt in who they really were. Questioning the design of the Creator and insinuating there was a better option is where it all started. We thought we knew better than the one who put us together. We bought a lie that substituted our design and identity for something that could never fulfill. As a result, we mirror that first sin today in making something our identity. Yet the truth remains, you are not your sexuality, race, nationality, or anything else- you are so much more!

In fact, take a look at what God says about us:

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!

Look at that- you are God's dearly beloved child. Read it again and let it soak in. Is that the identity you hold to and the truth that has settled in your heart? As a father, I want my kids to know how entirely loved they are and strive to make sure they are aware of it. God's heart is exponentially greater and He calls us His children! Yet we don't really cling to that the way a child does. Maybe we feel we've outgrown the need to run to and cling to our Father? Maybe we don't really trust His love? Whatever the reason, we need to remember the truth to who we really are: we are God's dearly beloved children. Not will be, not could be, not need to work on it, but that is what we are. Don't let something take the place of this amazing truth- you are God's dearly beloved child and that is who you are!

Next time something goes wrong and someone insults you, next time someone decides you aren't worth their time, or the next time you question your worth- remember- you are God's dearly beloved child! That is who you are!