What defines you??

Who or what defines your life?

Is it work, friends, hobbies, income, stuff, house, cars, bikes, kids, clothes?????

When you define yourselves, most of you go around saying, "This is what I am. I am a wife. I am a husband. I am an athlete. I am an engineer." Or "I am a publisher. I am a teacher. I am a mother. I am a strategic analyst." Or whatever you feel the need to introduce and define yourselves as.

Matthew 6:21-“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

If someone were asked to describe you in 10 words or less, what words would they use? What words do you hope they would use? I meet people every day who are unsure of who they are, struggling to find their identity.

Most people allow themselves to be defined by things other than who they are. They allow themselves to be defined by what other people think, by circumstances, by many things beyond their control. Or they allow themselves to be defined by their achievements, how much money they make or how successful they are. Perhaps they define themselves by how much education they have or how much power and influence they have. This one is especially prevalent in political circles. Some define themselves or are defined by others according to their station in life. Do they work for that big law firm or major corporation and live in a six thousand square foot home on the lake or the golf course.

At most weddings, it is extremely easy to identify the bride. As long as a bride is wearing her wedding dress, it is plain to all around her that she is a bride. Her identity in that moment for all who see her is “a bride”. In Isaiah 61 and in many other Bible passages, we are referred to as the “bride of Christ”. If we are clothed in the garments of salvation, then our wedding dress (the most dominating part of our outward appearance) is our salvation through Jesus Christ.

Now, a bride can attempt to show her interest in other activities by wearing cleats to appear athletic or motorcycle boots to show that she is a part of the motorcycle culture. She can don glasses to appear intelligent, or wear a crown to appear as royalty. No matter how you look at it though, all of these things are vain and really silly attempts at bringing a bit of old identity into what everyone else can plainly see is the new identity. She is “a bride” no matter what boots she wears or what accessories she includes. So once we are robed in the wedding dress of Christ’s righteousness and ultimately salvation, any worldly identity we strive for, only takes away from the beauty of who we are in Him.

AND sometimes we pursue titles or identities that are even good ones. We want to be known as great worship leaders, great pastors, teachers, athletes, counselors…. Maybe we wish to be known as a great musician or a renowned thinker. All of these can be good and noble; however, it is important to remember that first and foremost our identity is in Christ.  When we let Christ define us instead of our talents and abilities, He is then glorified in EVERY part of our lives instead of us glorying in our own abilities.

Gal 2:20 says,“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me”

Everything in our lives from business to relationships to our faith and most certainly our sense of self worth, depends upon how we feel about who we believe we truly are. Most of us have difficulty being honest with ourselves. Perhaps we are afraid of what we will discover if we probe too deeply. How can we be comfortable in the many different relationships we have in life, personal and business, if we are not comfortable with and have not accepted who we are? So do yourself a favor and ask yourself. What defines you? Or, in the words of a philosophy professor I had back in my college days, can you tell me who you are without telling me what you are?