Where we put our identity is a very important thing. It’s how we define ourselves and to those around us. You may not know it but we all spend a great deal of effort trying to get others to see us in the same way we see ourselves. It’s safe to say we’re not always successful.
If someone walked up to you and asked you to describe yourself, how would you respond? Chances are the first thing you think about (or what you consider the most interesting thing) is how you choose to define yourself. Try it. Spend a minute describing yourself to an imaginary partner. Don’t just keep reading; really think about it for a minute or so.
What did you come up with? Was it that you’re a teacher? Play in a band? Play a sport or are in a club? Is it something you like to do or are proud that you get to do? Almost all of us at one point or another link who we are with what we do. For the longest time I based my identity around motor sports. I couldn’t wait to tell people I drove race cars because it set me apart and made me special. The problem was when the people I was talking to didn’t know or care anything about racing; I felt this immense sense of rejection. If the thing I put my identity in didn’t matter, than I didn’t matter. That was powerful stuff! How I defined myself had real significance to how I felt.
So here’s the ultimate question. If you put your identity in something you do, then who are you when you can no longer do it? What happens when you get cut from the team? Break up with that person you were dating? Have to change careers? What happens when your sense of identity and value falls apart around you?
Instead, lets all strive to redefine ourselves on who Christ is instead of what we do. If you are a follower of Christ, you have been made new and set apart. If our identity and connected sense of self worth is tied to Christ, now what happens when we get cut from the team, dumped by our boyfriend/girlfriend, or lose a job? Does anyone see where I’m going with this…..?
2 comments:
I completely agree with you on this. I never try to defy myself with something I do, only by who I am in Chirst. This is such an important thing for people to do and understand. Especially youth.
When I was doing your little exercise I kept thinking about when they asked me to do this during my interview at Elevation. It's a funny story. I'll have to tell you about it sometime.
I've definitely done that. Usually my definition deals with singing, and it's funny to me that this is your blog idea for the day because for some reason i've been thinking about something like this all weekend.
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