Today I received a phone call in which the caller had gotten the idea that we weren't who we claimed to be. From one statement and in between four people blessing us by their great sacrifice, the enemy came in to devour. His target? Our identity. Our identity was being contaminated. As the caller shared this with me, I was so broken hearted that I had tainted the Name that I am called to uphold. I was able to clarify the situation a bit, as we are who we claim to be. Still, it was a reminder of how a few statements can be twisted by the enemy to change the course of our lives, to change who we are.
We often identify ourselves by our occupation, what we do in this life. We might also identify ourselves by a struggle that we have or once had. Sometimes our identity comes from what others have labeled us. We might also identify ourselves by a passion.
When we were in Ukraine, being an American became more important to me. I was more thankful to be one, and I identified myself as an American. I walked around wondering if people knew, if they could just tell by the way I walked or how I dressed that I am an American.
Identity determines behavior. Behavior flows from identity. Who you are determines what you do. As a parent I can get pulled into the idea that I want my children's behaviors to change, but the truth is that I want them to know who they are, who God has called them to be. When they know who they are, Who's they are, then their behaviors will adjust.
As our newest additions continue to realize that we are their parents, I see a difference in their behavior. When we were out and about in Ukraine with our 5 children, I would often feel our children viewed us as just another care giver. They would attach to us, then when some else told them what to do in their native language, it would trump what we were trying to teach them. But the more they learned that they were ours, that we were a family, the less those people had any significant say-so.
Sometimes we can forget who we are in Christ, we go to fake I.D.'s, things that may have once defined us but no longer do.
When we first introduced our children to their new names, they seemed to like them and immediately began to call each other by those names. But, when they were upset at us, they would tell us to call them by their old names. When they were upset with one another, they would resort to yelling at each other in their old names. You see, they were still looking through the "lens" of being an orphan. Even after the court hearing that made us their legal parents, they would pick up this "lens" when emotions ran high and still view themselves in that old way, with the fake I.D.
I often do the same. In my life as a Christ follower, I will have moments when I will neglect my relationship with God. I won't pray as much. I won't read the Word as much, and my identity in Him suffers. Maybe I am struggling with my identity as a mom and the need to provide nurture to each of my 9 children. Maybe I am struggling with my role as a home maker, and I see how the laundry is piling up. So, I choose to pray later. I choose to read some more of the Word later, so that I can catch up. Then I find myself resorting to old values, labels, and old feelings or passions. I pick up the "lens" that is no longer mine, and I see false I.D.'s and begin to label myself in ways that contradict who Christ has called me to be.
If we aren't careful, an allegiance can form when we are weak.
In a recent sermon (click to view) that was given while we were in Ukraine, our pastor says that the Ephesians struggled with their allegiance to their home town and their allegiance to Christ, the two allegiances were competing in their hearts. While I am an American, that is not my identity. I am a mom, but is not my primary identity. I am a home maker, but that is not my primary identity. My identity is in Christ. Likewise, my children should not identify themselves primarily as Ukrainians, or even primarily as Ukrainian Americans or Americans, but God wants their core identity to be in Christ because this directs us. It's the most important thing about us. We are "in Christ." We live out of that identity, not through labels. In Christ there is no citizen or immigrant, black or white, rich or poor, single or married...In Christ we are one. We are foreigners in this world. We are primary citizens of Heaven.
In Christ we are:
Chosen
Adopted
Redeemed
Marked
Purchased
This is our I.D. We have a new I.D. in Christ.
I am so thankful for this sermon series from Kyle Idleman because of the great lessons God has spoken to me through it.