Tags
Bible, change, Christian, Christianity, God, Gospel of Matthew, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Messiah, Religion & Spirituality, Religion and Spirituality, Son of God
There is a question we all fear, and don’t really know how to answer. No doubt it is an important question, although we often frame it incorrectly. The question is who am I?
I think we make two mistakes when it comes to our identity, we don’t think our God given character and skills can possibly be how Jesus wants us to be, and the second mistake is to assume God wants us to be exactly the same as Jesus.
We are not to be Jesus clones, indeed God doesn’t want or need us to be the same as Jesus. Jesus already exists and has achieved His mission on earth.
The way we discover who we are is not by first asking ‘Who am I’ but instead answering Jesus when He asks ‘Who do you say I am?’ Once we know who Jesus is we can let Him show us who He made us to be, and go about doing the wonderfully unique and individual things He made and called us to be and do. Once we know Jesus’ character, His light begins to blast away the darkness we have shrouded ourselves in and we begin to discover who we are in Him.
Matthew 16:15-20: ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.’
First Peter identifies who Jesus is, then Jesus tells Peter who he is. Unity does not mean uniformity. Thank God that Jesus made us all unique.
Ebs and Flows... 
theaspirationalagnostic said:
Lovely!
Nick said:
Thanks!
Steve said:
Yes, I agree. I think our view of God, of Jesus affects our view of ourself much more than we realise.
Also, I think that the “WWJD” idea came from great motives, but I think the problems with it are firstly as you point out He was a unique individual, so he may not want me to try to copy Him in that way. But secondly, I often don’t have time to step back & think, I react to a situation before thinking. This is how we’re built to function & is why taking on the qualities of character He had is do vital. Then in my life & in my situation(s) my automatic reactions will become good ones rather than bad.
For big decisions where we do have time to consider what to do, “WWJD” can be even more confusing. “What would Jesus do if He were living my life?” is a bit more helpful I think.
Nick said:
Or ‘What does Jesus want me to do?’!
Steve said:
Yes, although I think they’re slightly different. But both good starting points. Sometimes I think we don’t get an answer to that question because God wants is to decide. But it’s always good to ask I think.