Captivated: Relcaimed Identity

During the years I have worked in youth ministry, I have found that, in general, middle school kids are my favorite age with which to work. Why? Because they are desperately trying to figure out who they are and it is humbling to be part of that journey alongside them.

Middle school is an interesting time in life. Kids want to be known for something, they want to be unique but only in a way that is cool and accepted by their peers. They want to be known as individuals but they also want to fit in and even blend in with the crowd. They are often learning that having a natural aptitude for a particular talent or skill will only get them so far so it is time to really put in some work if they want to keep getting better. And all of this is the ultimate high stakes game as they are absolutely convinced this will determine their happiness for the rest of their lives.

I don't know about you, but when I think back to my 12 or 13 year old self, I wish I could tell them to settle down a bit, take a deep breath, and believe me when I tell them there will be time to change their mind, choose different paths, and discover truths about themselves they have yet to imagine as possibilities. When it comes right down to it, how we define ourselves in our early teen years very rarey matches exactly to how we define ourselves in 30's, 40's, 50s and beyond.

I'm reminded of a book I read in college by Max Lucado titled, "Just Like Jesus." It reflected on this reality that as we grow and age, how we see and define ourselves should change not only because it is a natural part of growing up, but it is also a natural part of maturing in our faith. While it reminded the reader often that Jesus loves each us just as we are, but because of that love, he refuses to leave us as we are, calling us to ever more reflect his heart and love for our fellow man.

If there is anyone who experienced a dramatic change in who they were as a person once they encountered Jesus, it was Saul. In Acts 9, we see that Saul was a Jewish leader who found his identity in being the strictest Jew imaginable. This lead him to persecute anyone who claimed to follow this "so-called Jewish Messiah Jesus of Nazareth" as a heretic against the Jewish faith and deserving of death. He was even present at the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr. He was 100% convinced he was in the right and he was answering the call of God in what he was doing to those who followed Jesus.

And then he encounters Jesus. On the road to Damascus, he is knocked off his donkey and surrounded by a blinding light after which he spends three days waiting in darkness for God to send someone to him. It is an encounter which completely changes the trajectory of Saul's life and redefines who is so completely that we know him today more commonly by the new name he was given: Paul.

Saul had a choice in those three days. He could have chosen to double down on his false beliefs. He could have had Annanias killed once his sight was restored. He could have chosen to reject the truth of what he had seen and experienced and clung to his old identity as one who zealously persecuted Christians. But instead he chose to let God completely redefine everything about him, including his name.

As a result, Paul went on to be known still today as the greatest missionary to have ever lived. He planted churches, wrote letters which later became part of the Christian Bible, and traveled throughout the Mediterranean region preaching the truth of who Jesus was no matter what it cost him. Instead of finding his identity in what this world had to offer, he found his identity in the truth Christ spoke over him and in so doing, reclaimed the identity in Christ he was created to have.

So what parts of your identity are you holding onto because you are scared to let them go and discover what God might have for you instead?

Follow Up:

The theme verse for Wednesdays this year is 1 Peter 2:9. Check out the verse set to music!

Wednesday's Verse!