Your True Identity

Several years ago, I was involved in some shenanigans with my middle son, and ended up chasing him through the house.  As he darted away, I saw clearly that I could intercept him and end the chase by leaping on to the couch, then the ottoman and then to the floor directly in his path. 

In my mind, this was all worked out very clearly.  The only problem was that my forty-something year-old body wasn't nearly as ready to follow through as I'd hoped.  I hit the couch, missed the ottoman and broke my toe.  

It reminded me of something one of my high school coaches said to us once, "Your mind is writing checks that your body can't cash."   

I think that many of us struggle with this kind of thing in our spiritual and emotional lives, too.  We have difficulty giving ourselves a true assessment when it comes to where we are spiritually and emotionally.  

The 18th century philosopher Goethe once wrote that it is a great failing "to see yourself as more than you are," but it is also just as damaging to "value yourself at less than your true worth."  

So many of us find ourselves on the latter end of Goethe's maxim--believing the worst about ourselves, and spiraling into despair as a result.  

During the season of Lent, we are reminded once again of the ways that our brokenness and frailty can strain our relationship with God, and, as a result, can have an adverse effect on the way we see ourselves.   

We need to also be reminded that our true identity is found in our connection to Jesus. Because of Jesus, we are made whole.  Because of Jesus, we receive grace and mercy  in abundance.  All Jesus asks of us is to love him and follow him.  

Oswald Chambers writes, "The Lord's questions always reveal the true me to myself." I couldn't agree more.  Our answer to Jesus' simple question that was posed to Peter when he asked him, "Do you love me?" is the key to discovering the truth about who we really are. 

May you seek to answer Jesus' question on this second day of the season of Lent.  May you discover your true identity in him, and may it give you joy, peace and amazing hope.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.