Your Identity
Simon Weil (French Philosopher) has said, “All sins are attempts to fill voids.” Yes, it may involve doing things God has forbidden, but it can also be doing good things that take the place of God. It is more than bad behavior, it is allowing lifestyle to become our idol, violating the first of the ten commandments (you shall have no other gods before me). And this can take place as we form our personal identity.
We all find our identity as individuals in some way. For many it comes from their job. They gain an education and pursue a career, applying self to it diligently, and that becomes their identity. “I am a lawyer” or “I am a professor” or “I am an engineer” or whatever may fit the profession. If they lose their job, or if they are criticized for their work by someone respected, their identity is threatened. For others it may be that it comes from being a parent. High value is put on raising the kids. The parent is active in the child’s schoolwork. They go to their games. They praise their accomplishments. If despite this the child becomes rebellious or fails in their schooling or has no desire to pursue the path you’ve planned for them, then the parent’s identity is threatened. For some it may be that they gain identity from their politics. The person gives to the party. They go to the rallies. They talk passionately about the causes. They go to vote. But if the other party wins, if none of the policies favored are adopted, if the government path goes a different direction, this person’s identity is threatened.
None of the things mentioned above are bad things. In fact its good to apply ourselves to our profession, to be intentional in raising our kids, to be purposeful in practicing our democratic values. The problem comes when such things create our identity. Becoming “who we are.” And if our identity that is formed in such a way is threatened by others, we can become locked in bitterness. If our identity that is formed in such a way is threatened by our own failings, it impacts on the lens we see everything through.
Soren Kierkegaard, a Christian thinker of the 19th century, has said that only if our identity is built on God and his love can we have a self that is able to venture anything and face anything. The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old one is gone.”
If we take our meaning in life from our family, from our work, from a cause, or from some achievement other than God, the thing we take our meaning from enslaves us to it. St. Augustine once said, “Our loves are not rightly ordered,” meaning we as Christians can think we honor God by putting family first, or making our job of ultimate importance, or pursuing a cause, but if we honor those things above God, we have not really honored God. Augustine also said, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” And Jesus made a bold statement when he said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even their own life, such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). This is most likely hyperbole (exaggerated statement to make a point), but the point is clear. Jesus must come before even family. We must be “in Christ” in a truly identity way, so that whatever else goes wrong, we have Christ, and thus we have self.
Honestly, where do you find your identity? Look at the time you spend, the money you spend, the attention you give to whatever is important to you. What does it point to? Is it God? Is it Christ as Lord? C.S. Lewis put it this way: “The almost impossibly hard thing is to hand over our whole self to Christ. But it is far easier than what we are all trying to do instead. What we are trying to do is remain what we call ‘ourselves’ with our personal happiness centered on money or pleasure (or family), while seeking to behave properly. But if I am a field of grass, all the cutting will keep the grass less but won’t produce wheat. If I want wheat, things must be plowed up and re-sown.” Isn’t that what Jesus said: we must die to self, be buried (in baptism), and rise as a new person (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:3-5, etc.)? That may not be the “American Dream” sort of Christianity, but it is what the Lord tells us.
Everybody must live for something. And that something defines our identity. Let me ask: Who are you, really?
Cross Point: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it” Jesus, in Luke 9:23.
Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com (Vetus Via)
Or go to the SHCC app under “Connect” for Cross Points
We all find our identity as individuals in some way. For many it comes from their job. They gain an education and pursue a career, applying self to it diligently, and that becomes their identity. “I am a lawyer” or “I am a professor” or “I am an engineer” or whatever may fit the profession. If they lose their job, or if they are criticized for their work by someone respected, their identity is threatened. For others it may be that it comes from being a parent. High value is put on raising the kids. The parent is active in the child’s schoolwork. They go to their games. They praise their accomplishments. If despite this the child becomes rebellious or fails in their schooling or has no desire to pursue the path you’ve planned for them, then the parent’s identity is threatened. For some it may be that they gain identity from their politics. The person gives to the party. They go to the rallies. They talk passionately about the causes. They go to vote. But if the other party wins, if none of the policies favored are adopted, if the government path goes a different direction, this person’s identity is threatened.
None of the things mentioned above are bad things. In fact its good to apply ourselves to our profession, to be intentional in raising our kids, to be purposeful in practicing our democratic values. The problem comes when such things create our identity. Becoming “who we are.” And if our identity that is formed in such a way is threatened by others, we can become locked in bitterness. If our identity that is formed in such a way is threatened by our own failings, it impacts on the lens we see everything through.
Soren Kierkegaard, a Christian thinker of the 19th century, has said that only if our identity is built on God and his love can we have a self that is able to venture anything and face anything. The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old one is gone.”
If we take our meaning in life from our family, from our work, from a cause, or from some achievement other than God, the thing we take our meaning from enslaves us to it. St. Augustine once said, “Our loves are not rightly ordered,” meaning we as Christians can think we honor God by putting family first, or making our job of ultimate importance, or pursuing a cause, but if we honor those things above God, we have not really honored God. Augustine also said, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” And Jesus made a bold statement when he said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even their own life, such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). This is most likely hyperbole (exaggerated statement to make a point), but the point is clear. Jesus must come before even family. We must be “in Christ” in a truly identity way, so that whatever else goes wrong, we have Christ, and thus we have self.
Honestly, where do you find your identity? Look at the time you spend, the money you spend, the attention you give to whatever is important to you. What does it point to? Is it God? Is it Christ as Lord? C.S. Lewis put it this way: “The almost impossibly hard thing is to hand over our whole self to Christ. But it is far easier than what we are all trying to do instead. What we are trying to do is remain what we call ‘ourselves’ with our personal happiness centered on money or pleasure (or family), while seeking to behave properly. But if I am a field of grass, all the cutting will keep the grass less but won’t produce wheat. If I want wheat, things must be plowed up and re-sown.” Isn’t that what Jesus said: we must die to self, be buried (in baptism), and rise as a new person (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:3-5, etc.)? That may not be the “American Dream” sort of Christianity, but it is what the Lord tells us.
Everybody must live for something. And that something defines our identity. Let me ask: Who are you, really?
Cross Point: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it” Jesus, in Luke 9:23.
Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com (Vetus Via)
Or go to the SHCC app under “Connect” for Cross Points
Posted in Cross Points