Who are you?
Could you give an answer to that question without explaining what you do or what you have?
That’s a difficult task for a lot of us, especially in a culture that uses what we do and what we have as the ultimate marks of identity.
According to Scripture, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
And again, “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
And again, “…we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life” (Ephesians 2:10).
Too often, we define ourselves by what we do or what we have rather than allowing who we are to define those things.
Our identity is of the utmost importance because it deals with the farthest reaches of who we are. It ultimately shapes our actions and frames our outlook on everything we possess. To experience all that we are made for, we must embrace all of who we are.
So, all of this to ask once again: Who are you?
If you have been baptized, you are a beloved son or daughter of God. That is what lies in the deepest bedrock of your existence.
You are chosen.
You are a dwelling place for the Creator of the cosmos.
You are carefully and deliberately designed for an intentional and specific purpose.
And when you allow this identity to come to the forefront of your attention, coloring the lens by which you see reality and informing the way you behave, you can experience a taste of what you were made for. Not only that, but you allow others to glimpse into the fullness of their identity as well.
A baseball player cannot experience the thrill of hitting a game-winning home run if he is convinced that he is a soccer player. A surfer cannot experience the joy of riding a wave if he believes himself to be a mountain biker. We cannot experience all that we are made for unless we embrace who we are made to be!
Beloved son or daughter of God, leave your past in the confessional, and leave your future to God’s grace. Embrace who you are, and be that today. Fully.
Tanner Kalina
