identity

The Culture of Sameness – VOTD.01.10.17

God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? As it is, there are many parts. 1 Corinthians 12:18-20

You’ve probably heard it said, “Imagine how boring the world would be if we were all the same”. And most of us would agree. It’s not a pleasant thought to imagine a world or a local church or business where everyone just like you or me.

And that’s not just because clones of you or me would be…uh, kind of weird, but also because there would be no one to fill in the gaps in our knowledge, experience, or abilities. Just as the body consists of various parts all working together to achieve different things, we Christians achieve the most for God’s Kingdom when we are being ourselves.

But it rarely works out quite that simply: Cloaked in nice spiritual terms like “we are one in the spirit” and “like-mindedness” is the idea that we all have to be in lockstep with each other or there’s ‘disunity’ or even ‘confusion’. There are scads of biblical examples where God debunks this idea. David wasn’t supposed to be in lockstep with his brothers even though he was youngest. Peter tried to press Jesus’ plan for his life on John and Jesus put him in his place. Lots of other examples exist, including Uzziah deciding to be the same as a priest…it didn’t go well for him.
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Be Who God Made You in 2017 – VOTD.01.09.17

We are being transformed into the likeness of the image of Christ; from glory to glory. This happens by the Spirit of the Lord.  2 Corinthians 3:17

You’ve probably heard the expression: “A fish out of water.” The beauty and grace we see when we watch a fish in the water is lost when you catch it and throw it up on the shore. The beauty and grace is not in the fish, it’s in the environment. Once you take the fish out of the environment God made it for, it flops around and looks clumsy.

If we are to exhibit the beauty and grace that God wants for us in 2017 we need to be in the environment He has made for us. If we go off into some other environment, we lose the beauty and grace because we weren’t made for that environment.

I’m sure you have seen people who have either left the place God has for them, or have never found the place God has for them, and they are “like fish out of water”. They never operate in the beauty and grace that God has for them because they’re up on the shore flopping around trying to survive in a hostile ecosystem. (more…)

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How Wrong-identity Produces Unkindness – VOTD.12.12.16

Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34 

Turn your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look and look at him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him – Lilias Trotter

People do some pretty destructive things—even self-destructive things. If we’re watching, we shake our head and wonder what ever caused such unkind behaviors. It doesn’t make any sense. This is especially mystifying when it’s Christians who are behaving so destructively.

For weeks we’ve been talking about how kind people do what they do out of the identity that is theirs in Jesus. And it’s worth mentioning that people do unkind things out of their lack of identity. People do destructive and self-destructive things, even in the church, because their identity is in a muddle, or perhaps it’s in something other than Jesus.

If Jesus went through all sorts of trauma—by the spiritual leaders of his day; His flesh ripped apart, His beard torn out, spit on, hung on a cross, and He could look upon these people and say, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do,” that’s radical forgiveness. (more…)

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How Identity Produces Kindness – VOTD.12.06.16

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29

God’s purpose in creation and redemption is to have spiritual children conformed to the image of His Son. I’ve been saying for weeks that practicing kindness, for example, is greatly dependent on how we perceive ourselves (our identity). But how does that happen in us?

Our identities are essential to making us conformed to His image. When our identities are in Jesus, we’re going to live life differently than if our identities are in something else, even things like church, positions, our leaders; or other things like our political affiliation, the color of our skin, our gender, ancestry, profession, etc. What is it about how we see ourselves that makes it so important?

1.  Our identity controls our vision. When our identity is in Jesus and all that He is for us and is doing in us, we see possibilities that other people cannot appreciate. While others stumble around in spiritual confusion/sluggishness, we see where we’re going (1 Jn 1:7), and have clarity of purpose because we are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). (more…)

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Kindness, Identity in Jesus – VOTD.12.05.16

And you are complete in Him, who has all authority over all principality and power. Colossians 2:10

It may seem strange, but believers, we need to be taught who we are—that we are the righteousness of God in Jesus (2 Cor 5:21); we are walking miracles. We were dead in trespasses and sins…But God made us alive in Jesus (Eph 2:1,5). You and I may not feel like walking resurrections, but we are (Rom 6:5).

The fact that many believers do not know their identity in Jesus, and do not feel as if it were true, isn’t new and isn’t surprising. Paul prayed for believers that we “may know the immeasurable greatness of (God’s) power toward us who believe” (Eph 1:18,19). Apparently, he thought the Ephesian believers needed God to teach them the wonders of who they were. He was praying for God to show them their identity.

Christian virtues like kindness, joy, peace and power are not just gifts that Jesus bestows upon us. They are the new nature He has recreated us with when we became Christians. They are the very kindness, joy, peace and power of Jesus Himself. (more…)

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Kindness, Identity and Overcompensating – VOTD.11.29.16

A woman named Martha opened her home to (Jesus). She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-42

Last time we saw how easy it is to fall into a sense of value-less-ness when our relationship with the Lord is not founded on our true identity in Him…the truth of His unconditional love for us, and His plan for our lives. Many sit on the sidelines (or don’t come to the game at all) because they haven’t got that foundation of identity in Jesus cleared up. It’s living out of rejection.

Another way rejection works is for people who have spiritual identity issues to become the star performer…they overcompensate (and you’ve probably seen this). They’re like Martha, trying to become all things to everyone and at the end of the day they’re so exhausted from meeting everyone else’s needs—they’ve been so kind to so many—that there’s nothing left and they become weary while doing good and lose heart (Gal 6:9). (more…)

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Kindness, Identity and Relationship – VOTD.11.28.16

While David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.  1 Samuel 23:15,16

We’ve been looking at foundational questions in the Christian life such as “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”, “What is God’s plan for me?”, “Does God Love me?”… The answers to these questions make up our personal identity. And without healthy answers to such questions we will have a shaky foundation for practicing Christian graces such as kindness.

A final question: “So what?” “Does anyone even care who I am, that God loves me, that He has a plan for me?” Questions like that brings us to the topic of relationships. That is, in my life, do I have relationships that affirm my value to God and His plan for my life?

In today’s verses, we see Jonathan coming to David and encouraging him in the Lord—in context he’s affirming David in who he is, why he’s here, and what God’s purpose is for David’s life. We all need relationships like that. Because when we’re bombarded with feelings of rejection it’s easy to conclude that nobody loves us, nobody cares, then the enemy has us right where he wants us: defeated. We give up. Stop trying. Throw in the towel…

Withdraw, withdraw, withdraw. And that’s the hopelessness route. It’s the battleground of no value. They feel like they have no value, period. Self-rejection and unworthiness typify their lives. And their hearts turn off and they’re numb and they isolate themselves and they’re miserable and they don’t even know why. (more…)

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Our Identity – Seeking God – VOTD.11.22.16

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13

Last time we drew our attention to Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Today’s verses follow right on the heels of that promise. Last night I saw this meditation which I wrote 5 years ago on the same verses and it fit well with our theme of our identity and practicing kindness. So I’m reproducing it here. You see, God’s plan is active and He calls his people to actively pursue it. And Kindness is what happens when we’re pursuing our identity in Jesus.

God is telling His people: I’ve got a good plan for you (v29), here are some things you can do
1. CALL to Me. God is calling us according to His purpose, Paul writes (Rom 8:28). In keeping with the purpose and plan God has for us, He calls us. But He wants us to call out to Him. “the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him (Rom 10:12). Calling on God is both simple and profound. It was so central to the identity of Christians in the early Church that they were referred to as “those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 9:14, et al., 1 Cor 1:2) (more…)

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The Identity of Kindness (pt 4) – VOTD.11.21.16

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Closely tied to the question we’ve been looking at related to our identity in Jesus and our practice of kindness (Who am I? Does God Love me?) is another question that makes up our identity: ‘Why am I here?’ For Christians, this comes down to God’s call on our lives. This is where His plan comes in.

It’s not uncommon for Christians at times to be obsessed with God’s plan for their lives. This is especially true when they haven’t established who they are in Jesus, or internalized the fact that God loves them immeasurably more than they can comprehend. (See parts 1, 2, & 3 of this series).

So if Christians try to determine, establish, and walk in God’s personal plan for them—without the foundation of identity and the love of God—they are more likely to fear His plan or their inability to attain it…than a faith-building confidence they find comfort in. It becomes a frustration, like finding a needle in a haystack.

And it’s come to a place where saying “God has a wonderful plan for my life,” becomes a Christian cliché rather than a truth we live from. When I meet other Christians they want my resume (they ask the questions—what positions do you hold? what roles do you play?). They are trying to discover my identity but they’re looking in the wrong place. (more…)

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The Identity of Kindness (pt 3) Who Am I? – VOTD.11.15.16

…being found in (Jesus), not having a righteousness of my own that comes from keeping a list of rules (religious characteristics), but that which comes through faith in Christ. Philippians 3:9

Last time we looked at 2 questions establishing the healthy identity that is needed for kindness to fill our lives. 1. ‘Am I loved by God?’ 2. ‘Am I loved by others’. Today we’ll look at a 3rd question ‘Who am I?’ Apart from roles I play; apart from titles people call me, apart from things I do, who am I really?

‘Who am I?’ is a question usually associated with kids in their teens trying to figure out the imponderables of life; the question is dismissed as an adolescent heart-palpitation. But our identity is important to God and it’s an area that virtually all advertisers, all employers/schools, all churches/clubs attempt to engineer and exploit. They know something we don’t: If they can define our identity, you and I will belong to them and they will control us.

What do they drive us to look for our identity in? What we wear; What we buy; Who we associate with; How we use our time (that’s a biggie); What we see in the mirror. What other people will think (as if everyone is thinking about us in the first place!).

Even as Christians who walk in the Spirit, our identity is often about religious characteristics. I travel a lot and I meet a lot of wonderful Christians. I can tell you the first questions Christians always ask: Where we go to church; what denomination/non denomination are we; What’s our political stance on a social issue (including Israel); What about school… Do you see where this is going? We identify each other by our religious characteristics instead of being in Christ. (more…)

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