What Defines You?

Possessions?  Position?  Opinions of others?

The examples above are certainly what society recommends to sooth our disgruntled souls.  If you just bought (fill in the blank) certainly happiness would be free flowing.  If you just had a certain job...  If everyone liked you...  These definitions can wreak havoc on our self-understanding, especially when we feel that we are without these things.  What then?  If we don't have the possessions, the position, the good opinion, where are we then?  Not only do such definitions encourage us to feel lousy about ourselves, but they also may motivate us to judge others with our definition.  Whether that judgement is positive or negative depends on how much or how little of whatever it is we want that they have.  Whew!  That's a lot of work, a lot of calculating, a lot of stress...

Perhaps there is something more.  What if none of these measures define us?  What if we let go of all these societal constructs that try to force themselves upon us day in and day out through the media and through our encounters with one another?  What if we embrace the true definition of who we are by understanding Whose we are?  When we believe in Christ, it is His love, His grace that defines us and those around us.  Our response not only to ourselves and one another changes dramatically when we fully accept and embrace God's definition of who we are.  Rather than seeing what we do not have, we see Who has us.  God defines us as His righteousness -- His right-ness.  When we live as God's righteousness, we see those around us as God's righteousness.  How we feel about ourselves and one another is radically changed.  You are God's righteousness today and every day.  May we embrace God's true definition of who we are, praising Him for this wonderful and transforming gift.

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him (Christ) we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21 NRSV

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