Monday Musings - Identity

Have I mentioned how very much I love my church here in Chicago?  I love it a lot and just loved being there yesterday.  Matt made a statement yesterday that really stuck with me.  

Identity determines behavior.

Interesting, isn't it?  When I think about this, I know without any doubt that my identity is in Christ.  That being said, my behavior should reflect that.  My decisions should be guided by that.  My speech should suggest that.  

Am I loving, kind, caring, genuine and thoughtful?
Am I looking for opportunities to serve others?
Am I selfless or selfish?
Am I mindful of my friends and neighbors - looking for opportunities to love on them, encourage them and honor them or am I caught up in my own stuff?
Do I go to the Lord with my decisions and ask Him what He thinks or do I make my decisions and then ask Him to bless them?
Do the decisions I make reflect my beliefs and my values?
Are my words encouraging, truthful and kind?
Do I speak about my faith and my walk with the Lord in everyday conversations?


Well - the truth is - I sometimes choose obedience and I sometimes fall flat on my face.  I wish I would be 100% consistent in my behavior and I am certainly striving to get there.  Every day is another opportunity to grow, to learn and to live it out.  There is forgiveness, mercy and grace when I fail - but I do know who I am.  I am a child of God - a follower of Jesus.

What is your identity?  Is it in your Lord - or is it in your work, your family, your possessions, your physical appearance or your own accomplishments?  How does your identity determine your behavior?  How do your behaviors reflect your identity? 

If your identity is based on anything other than who you are in Christ, you will never really know who you are.  All these other things in our life shift and change - only Christ remains the same.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  

2nd Corinthians 5:17

Because of Jesus, we all have the power of the Holy Spirit to live out our identity.  We can not do it on our own.  It is beyond ourselves. You may want to ask yourself the same questions that I asked myself - or you may have your own set of questions.  Let me encourage you to go through that process.  We need to ask ourselves some good, hard questions from time to time.

Be encouraged - be challenged.  If Christ is your Savior, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you.  Your identity is secure.  As you allow Christ to live in you and through you - you will reflect that identity in every aspect of your life. 

Trust the Jesus in you.