You can learn a lot from not knowing anything about science.
Let me explain.
The other day, Kenny asked me whether a “space storm” was the same thing as a black hole. Not knowing what a space storm was, I asked him, “What is a space storm?”
“Well,” Kenny said, “it does such-and-such.”
“No, not what does it do, but what is it?” I asked.
Again, Kenny tried to answer by telling me the things that happened within a space storm.
“Kenny,” I said, “What is it composed of? What is its essence?”
“Hmm,” Kenny said. “Well…I don’t know.”
I don’t blame him. It’s much harder to define a thing’s essence than it is to discuss what the thing does.
Could you do it in regards to your own essence? Could you describe yourself, apart from anyone you know, anything you own, or anything you do?
There are many reasons why we sometimes get confused as to who we really are. Past sins can seem to define us, because we can’t forget them. I’m the person who….
Present occupations or roles in life seem like they are perfectly adequate for classifying us. I’m a student. I’m a lawyer. I’m a mom.
Or maybe it’s what we own that imparts to us an identity. I’m rich. Or our talents. I’m a singer. Or our physical attributes. I’m pretty.
All of these things may be true. We all have sins in our past. We all have roles in the present. And we all have adjectives that describe us.
But none of those things is who we are.
What, then, is our identity?
My friend, if you are “in Christ”—in other words, if you have a personal relationship with Jesus—here is your identity:
You are clean (John 15:3). “Liar” or “adulteress” or “drug user” is not your identity.
You are healed (Isaiah 53:5). “Wounded” is not your identity.
You are chosen (Colossians 3:12). “Unwanted” is not your identity.
You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are no longer who you used to be.
You are capable (Philippians 4:13). “Not good enough” is not your identity.
You are powerful where once you were weak (2 Corinthians 12:10). “Helpless” or “ineffective” is not your identity.
You are victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57). “Loser” is not your identity.
May I offer you a few more?
You are Christ’s friend (John 15:15). You are complete (Colossians 2:10). You are a daughter of light (1 Thessalonians 5:5), anointed by God (1 John 2:27), and a joint heir with Christ to all God’s riches (Romans 8:17). You have the right to come boldly before the throne of God to find mercy and grace in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
Let no earthly thing define you—not what you’ve done, not what others say you are, not whom you know or what talents you possess.
You are far more than any of these things.
You are who God says you are.