Jesus knew who he was before God and in God. He could therefore resist the temptations to live his life out of a false center based on possessions, actions or the esteem of others. ~David G. Benner
Mistaken Identity:
- The poses I practice.
- The costumes I wear.
- The posturing that earns me the right to breath air.
False Identity:
- What I have.
- What I do.
- What people think of me.
Our identities are always in crisis because the false ones come with an expiration date.
The Identity Bin
A circle’s worth of children sit cross-legged on the floor. As I, the music teacher, hand out rhythm instruments from the plastic bin, their eyes plead,
Please give me claves or castanets! Darn, boring old rhythm sticks again. How will I stand out? I can’t compete with the cabasa’s scritchy sounds. I could be something special with maracas in my hand. The teacher must like me least of all.
The music begins. The students bang their instruments as loud as they can and eye each other with envy. But at the end of the song, the instruments go back in the bin.
Exactly The Point
the Apostle Paul’s makes in 1 Corinthians 13: 8: “Hey guys, you know those spectacular spiritual gifts that have you preening in the mirror, or hanging your head in resentment? They will all go back in the bin!”
What brings us applause and approval today will share the fate of quill pens tomorrow. When Christ returns, they get tossed in the bin–no one will need them, no one will care.
- Who needs prophetic sermons, when the sound of God’s voice fills the air?
- Who needs scholarly expertise when God himself can be asked?
- Who needs mountain-moving faith when the mountains have been moved for good?
Are you building your identity and sense of worth on the temporary gifts of today? Forget your clever cabasa and your clanging cowbell. Start over-performing in what matters.
The Only Identity That Lasts
And so I return again to knowing myself as deeply loved by God. I meditate on his love, allowing my focus to be on him and his love for me, not me and my love for him.
And slowly things begin to change. My heart slowly begins to warm and soften. I begin to experience new levels of love for God. And slowly, almost imperceptibly, I begin to see others through God’s eyes of love.
David G. Benner in, Sacred Companions
Have you forgotten the gifts you envy or admire will expire?
This is post fifteen of our Lent To Love: A Return to the Source series on 1 Corinthians 13. Join us on the journey to Easter!
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8 replies on “Identity With An Expiration Date”
How I’d love a conversation on this one. I believe you. However, many of the great voices who, even now, speak deeply into our lives are heard not merely because they’re gifted but because they know good PR. Even Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton had “people” who helped them share their message. Kathleen Norris has a literary agent and publicist. How on earth does someone as ridiculous as Madonna get such a bloated career when her one time classmate Cindy Lauper, arguably 50 times the talent, has had a meager one by comparison?
This is a favorite topic of mine…
Yes, the blessings and dangers that come with being handed the “cooler” instruments! What I see Paul saying is, “sure, use the amplifiers (agents, publicists) if God leads you there, but your ‘instrument’ is not your identity. Who are you when it all goes away?.” Interesting that Nouwen wrote quite a bit about this…
Thank you, Janet. Life is far more complicated when our identity depends on the roles we play in life. We’re supposed to live as though this life is temporary.
So true, Claudia. If we could just catch a glimpse of what will be…
Perfect timing! This topic came up in a group last week. Are we defined by our labels? Doctor, wife, mom, artist, author, etc. while those are things we do, we can only be defined by the One and only truth. As God’s child. And we must embrace this identity in everything we do and remember when ugly labels (e.g. crazy, fake, worthless etc.) get placed upon us by others, that isn’t our identity because God gives us our identity. Not the world. I really enjoy your insight. Keep on loving!!
Lindsay, there is so much in what you write here! I like the idea of embracing “this identity in everything we do.” We bring our true identity into our roles. Imagine what God could do!
Excellent post, Janet — right on target with me, and certainly everyone in our writers’ group. My identity doesn’t change daily on what someone thinks of me, or even what I think of myself, because we are all guilty of speaking negatives into the air that come back to rest on us like a settling of dust. Why speaking positive truth is so important to ourselves, and those around us.
Susan, you illustrate well the instability of it all. May we embrace a dust-free identity!