What defines us? Have you ever thought about what really defines your life? Many times when I am at a cementary I will walk around and read the various grave markers. The markers offer a brief picture of what others feel defined the life of their loved one. If you had to write your obituary today what would you want it to say about your life? What do you want to be remembered for?
I began this post several months ago and never finished it but after reading an article about Kenny McKinley, wide receiver for the Denver Broncos I thought I would finish it. The article focused on the struggles of pro football players while mentioning the similar struggles we all have. It talked about the pressures of job performance, of superman complexes, of disorders and the fear to ask for help and the danger of self-indentity and self-worth being tied to our job, our vocation or the label our life is tagged with. Our identity is crucial to our health and fulfillment in life. Who are you?
I began this post several months ago and never finished it but after reading an article about Kenny McKinley, wide receiver for the Denver Broncos I thought I would finish it. The article focused on the struggles of pro football players while mentioning the similar struggles we all have. It talked about the pressures of job performance, of superman complexes, of disorders and the fear to ask for help and the danger of self-indentity and self-worth being tied to our job, our vocation or the label our life is tagged with. Our identity is crucial to our health and fulfillment in life. Who are you?
In talking with people I find that for many of us our lives are defined by actions, positions, abilities, appearance, status, accomplishments, and for many Christ-followers our gifts instead of "being." But all these will end one day, some sooner than we think. While these are descriptors of our life they are not what defines our lives. These are to flow out of who we are and the purpose of our life not the other way around.
Who I am is defined by God. If I have entered a relationship with God I am a Christ-follower, a child of God. The purpose of my life is found in my creator and Heavenly Father. If I have not entered relationship with God I am God's loved creation yet I am a lost child of God. The purpose of my life is to know God. We are eternal beings and the temporal things of our physical world cannot define us. Our value and worth finds its source in that we are created by God in his image and given the gift of life. Worth and value are not measured by the degree of my productivity. My worth, my value, life's worth and value is found in our creation, or being, not my title, position, possessions, status or whether I can still add value to the community I am a part of.
To define ourselves by what we do, who we know, by our abilities, etc devalues who we are. As a Christ-follower my life has purpose whether I am in a productive season of my life, whether I am a multi-gifted person or a mono-gifted person. All my abilities, attributes, resources, and life whether they are in abundance or are scarce are to be used to fulfill my purpose in life. I am defined by who I am! Life is to be about being not doing. Who I am, what what I am defined by is found in my relationship with Jesus. All people have value, have worth whether they are Christ-followers or not our life is sacred because we have been created in the image of God and have been infused with purpose. Descartes said, "I think therefore I am." I would suggest God created me and loves me therefore I am and my life has purpose and meaning. I am therefore I do; not I do therefore I am. Being precedes doing, being has value when doing ceases, being gives meaning to doing.
No matter who you are no matter what your title is, no matter how gifted or talented you are your life has great value and purpose. As I grow older I watch the limiting of certain abilities, does that mean I am of less value to my community, to my culture or to the world? No! We have been created in the image of God that is where our identity lies, that is where our worth is therefore; there is purpose and meaning even when life's abilities and productivity is diminished. Who are we? That is the foundational question. Jobs, vocations, strength, abilities, beauty, popularity, relationships and titles all eventually fade away, who are we when the light fades, the cheers and the crowds become silent and we are alone with ourselves? I, we are God's creation called into relationship with him, through Jesus, to eternal purposes that infuse this life and eternal life. You are loved today, your life has value today no matter where you find yourself.
No matter who you are no matter what your title is, no matter how gifted or talented you are your life has great value and purpose. As I grow older I watch the limiting of certain abilities, does that mean I am of less value to my community, to my culture or to the world? No! We have been created in the image of God that is where our identity lies, that is where our worth is therefore; there is purpose and meaning even when life's abilities and productivity is diminished. Who are we? That is the foundational question. Jobs, vocations, strength, abilities, beauty, popularity, relationships and titles all eventually fade away, who are we when the light fades, the cheers and the crowds become silent and we are alone with ourselves? I, we are God's creation called into relationship with him, through Jesus, to eternal purposes that infuse this life and eternal life. You are loved today, your life has value today no matter where you find yourself.
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