Picture yourself sitting around a table with a group of people you've just met (business or social setting). Introductions have begun, and you've been nominated to start. What do you say about yourself?
"Hi, I'm (so-and-so). I'm a (Job description? Familial role? Native of such-and-such a place?)."
How we describe ourselves has much to do with our source(s) of identity. Hannah Anderson (Made for More) addresses this concept head-on:
"Instead of wrestling with the deeper questions of life, we distract ourselves and find identity in things like relationships, jobs, political causes, or hobbies. We check boxes, make lists, and categorize ourselves by race, religion, and socioeconomic status. We calculate our bodies in pounds,inches,and clothing sizes,all in an effort to gain the security that comes from knowing exactly who we are and where we fit into the grand scheme of things. After all, if I know that I am a married, blond-haired, blue-eyed, extroverted, mother of three who studied liberal arts, writes, likes to travel, watches classic movies, and enjoys long walks on the beach, then certainly I must know who I am, right? Right?"
"Instead of wrestling with the deeper questions of life, we distract ourselves and find identity in things like relationships, jobs, political causes, or hobbies. We check boxes, make lists, and categorize ourselves by race, religion, and socioeconomic status. We calculate our bodies in pounds,inches,and clothing sizes,all in an effort to gain the security that comes from knowing exactly who we are and where we fit into the grand scheme of things. After all, if I know that I am a married, blond-haired, blue-eyed, extroverted, mother of three who studied liberal arts, writes, likes to travel, watches classic movies, and enjoys long walks on the beach, then certainly I must know who I am, right? Right?"
She goes on to discuss the unsettling of supposed "identity" that occurs when our roles/categories change. This issue is near to my heart, as I have found myself flying (seemingly recklessly) through many life changes in the past few years: marriage, residency, motherhood, part-time employment, staying at home, and planning a move abroad. Am I still myself? Despite the changes in my relationships (primarily friendships, as everyone in my cohort moves through similar role changes), is my identity stable?
This question presents itself most clearly in introductory settings, since the seemingly natural response after exchanging names with a stranger is typically, "What do you do?" What does this question mean? What do I do for fun? For gainful employment? For my family? For the destitute? For the Kingdom of God? Clearly, answers to some of these questions are more important than others. Yet none of them fully encompasses the issue of identity.
Scripture teaches that Christians are defined not by our accomplishments or relationships, but by Christ's righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:14-21). This is a beautiful thing. We no longer have to strive for acceptance or sufficiency. We belong to the One who is all-sufficient. How would our concepts of identity change if we truly defined ourselves by Christ's work rather than ours?
Would this reality change the way we thought about ourselves? Introduced ourselves? Interacted with our brothers and sisters? This week, I challenge you to pay attention to the way you define yourself as you make an introduction. Afterwards, ask whether the way you want others to see you is the way God already sees you.
Question:
1. Complete the following introduction as you typically would in a social setting. "Hi, I'm (so-and-so). I'm a (Job description? Familial role? Native of such-and-such a place?)."
1. Complete the following introduction as you typically would in a social setting. "Hi, I'm (so-and-so). I'm a (Job description? Familial role? Native of such-and-such a place?)."
2. Think about this verse: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
What does this truth mean for your self-reported identity in question 1?
What does this truth mean for your self-reported identity in question 1?
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