What is my identity? Where do I place it?
We humans tend to place our identity in:
Our work – my job, my promotion, my benefits
Our parenting – my kid did this, my kid did that, my kids need me to…
Our spouse – my husband did this, my wife did that
Our choices – I decided this, because I chose this I…
Our accomplishments – I got this reward, I earned this title
Our education – I earned my bachelors, I…
And this is to just name a few areas where we place our identity.
When I place my identity in any of these areas, comparison follows. It always will. And when it does, there is always more…I got to “do” more, I got to “be” more. We are never settled because…we were never meant to be compared!
Our Creator only created one Kristine Emily, with my fingerprint and my DNA.
And when I start comparing, I lose focus of Jesus. Everything becomes “I.” Look back at where I just listed a few areas we place our identity. You will find “I” in all of it. If I am not careful, these areas I place my identity will fail. Eventually. Something or someone will come along and mess up our identity.
Earthlings do a fantastic job looking at that outward appearances of each other and this is the tendency of where we place our identity. But when we read the Gospels, Jesus looks at the heart of the people, not the outward appearance. We also see this in the Old Testament with God; “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Because…when I place my identity in HIM, the need to “do” and “be” more will disappear. The unsettledness will be gone. The irritability will be gone. The longing for…fill in the blank…will be gone.
But…looking inward IS difficult. It means we have to be vulnerable to ourselves. It is easier to hide behind the outward appearances…isn’t it?
Bottom line: do I believe God created me? Do I believe there is only one Kristine Emily? If so, then why do I compare? Why do I feel the need to “do” more or “be” more if there is only one. No one is created like me, so there is no reason to compare in order to be the same or better than. No two fingerprints are the same, so there is no reason to compare.
I pray we find our identity in Him, the Creator of every one of us, and that we don’t chase substitutes.
There are three areas that will follow in parts 2-4, which I would like to look at for our identity in Him:
1. I am His child
2. I am His masterpiece; fearfully and wonderfully made
3. I am adopted
There are plenty more, but we will look at these three in the time to come.
I am ONE story,
~ Kristy
1 Samuel 16:6,7 NIV (New International Version)
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”