![]() ![]() What if the truest definition of identity meant that the more I am like Jesus (Christlike belonging), the more I am the me I was made to be (individual uniqueness)? It matters that we reconcile this particular tension: that while our biblical understanding of identity is belonging, God’s understanding of each one of us is personal and intimate. ![]() This is highly specific and individualized-meaning God knows us and includes each of us personally. Scripture also talks about our unique image-bearing nature, how the hairs on our heads are counted, and our individual days are numbered. The more I am like Jesus (Christlike belonging), the more I am the me I was made to be (individual uniqueness). It just gives us the Scriptural context for its use. That doesn’t mean that the word hasn’t grown to mean a number of things. There is no use for it outside of belonging. Scripture uses the word identity in one way: to define our inclusion in God’s family. There was a time when our imagination fueled our pursuits and who we were was “whatever we want to be!” Returning to childlikeness may be the first step for some of us-to remember what it was like to not know things and go hunting for information, answers, and big ideas. This posture often requires some unlearning for us as adults. Wonder is the heart of childlike faith we are never meant to outgrow. It allows us to trust God in the spaces we can’t yet see or even define. Wonder allows us to sit in a place of not knowing, of curiosity. Credit: Getty Images/DigitalVision/Stanislaw Pytel A Place of Wonder When I trust the wonder of a God who holds all things together, I can trust that I am a wonder too. I want to encourage us to, rather than resolve these tensions, sit in them, and reconcile our own understanding of identity as children of God. The word itself has evolved in both meaning and use, and that has left some of us unsure of how we are using (or misusing) it. In this space, we get to invite God to reveal His wonder, answer questions that He has knit into His plan, and comfort us in our uncertainty.Īnd while the word identity is centuries old and can be traced back to ancient Latin, its modern usage only began to rise in literature in the early 2000s. It is critical in this tension to embrace wonder, explore unanswered questions, and sit with the discomfort of not knowing. how we see ourselves stand in conflict with one another at different developmental intersections of our lives. And the third tension is the pull between “what I know for sure” and “what I don’t yet know.” How we are seen vs.Some things about us are true throughout our lifetime. But I was not a mother at eight years old, yet, today, motherhood is part of my identity. The second tension is between “what remains true or the same about me throughout my life” and “what changes.”Īs humans, we change throughout our lives-children become adults, bodies change, some get married, and some become parents.The first tension is that the word identity can define “what makes us unique” and “what allows us to feel like we belong.” This is, essentially, a tension between difference and sameness.There are three tensions we can name off the top as to why this is such a difficult conversation-especially if we have each individually predetermined what identity is or isn’t. So, how do we help kids truly know who they are, rooted in identity and confident children of God? Identity Is Complicated But as we dig into what we mean, and what we think we mean, we begin to peel back the layers on a rich, multifaceted, confusing, and even challenging conversation. ![]() However, often we assume that we all define identity in the same way. In the world we live in, identity means many things. What if the truest definition of identity meant that the more I am like Jesus, the more I am the me I was made to be?Īs Christ-followers, we were made to reflect the image of God back to those around us through the love of Jesus, by the leading of His Spirit. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |