IS YOUR IDENTITY ROOTED IN CHRIST

Brothers and Sisters, I have a question for you…Do you identify with Christ?  When your identity is rooted in Christ so many things happen. The first thing is that there may be suffering in grounding your identity but your life will be more at peace. Let’s see what Solomon, Jesus, and Paul say about having an identity rooted in God through Christ.
Do You Rely on Other Person’s Perception?

Paul writes in Galatians 1:9-10,
“We said it before, and I say it again: if anyone announces “Good News” contrary to what you received, let him be under a curse forever!
Now does that sound as if I were trying to win human approval? No! I want God’s approval! Or that I’m trying to cater to people? If I were still doing that, I would not be a servant of the Messiah.”

Whom are you seeking approval from? Do you rely on the praise and credit of man to give you a sense of purpose (identity) or change who you were to fit in with a crowd by doing something that gains approval and makes you popular in another’s eyes? How others perceive what a Christian should be and the truth are not always the same. A person of God does not need others to tell them good job or that they should be ashamed when the person is doing or saying things that encompass all the teachings of Scripture and Jesus.
The only one that we need to seek approval from is God and we should not even seek His approval but conduct ourselves in a manner that God approves of. We have Christian attention seekers that make it sound as if they are rooted in Christ when in truth they are doing things for self. We are in a selfish society that believes they are selfless. All honor and glory is God’s not ours. Human perception means nothing in the higher scheme of things.

God’s Gifts to You Are For His Glory Alone

When your identity is founded in Christ you are not to flaunt your earthly status or gifts. Spiritual gifts are gifts from God. When the gifts are abused to feed our own hunger for acceptance of those around us, we are not using them to glorify God, but ourselves. In the Gospel of Luke we are given this warning and observation from Jesus: 


 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 20:46-21:4

Have you seen the pattern yet, the selfish will not prevail because they do not use what they were given to glorify God. There is a big difference in doing things for show and being a devoted believer and follower of God. Just because your position allows it, do not flaunt your riches and make known what you are doing to the world by using your gifts to gain the things of the world. They do not matter and will eventually be your downfall. Living humbly and using your gifts for the Glory, Worship, and Praise of God will get you where you need to be in eternity.

Can You Turn The Other Cheek

When you face adversity, the hardest thing to do is stand there and allow the bad things to happen. Now this does not mean let someone continue to do you wrong to the point where you are brutally hurt or killed, absolutely not. This also does not mean to let certain behaviors go unpunished. Listen to the Words of Jesus from Matthew:

“You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.
Mathew 5:38-42
 
This does mean let someone bully you for your kindness, on the contrary there are two ways about this. The saying, kill them with kindness” kind of goes here but without the killing part. Show God’s Love and Mercy to those who do not show you mercy and they may learn mercy and find God. We are to treat others better than they “deserve” because that is how God has treated us. Love others out of our Love for God. Yes we get aggravated and angered but turn that aggravation into kind responses sharing what we know Jesus would have us do. But God also gave Solomon this piece of wisdom:
 
Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences. Proverbs 4:23
 
Giving in to their false sense of strength grants their belief they have power over you. When you do not guard your heart from behaving like that adversary, you fail at sharing God’s Grace and Mercy. How do we accomplish this?
Show God’s Love through ultimate unquestionable actions thereby proving you are the stronger person because of your strength through adversity thanks to your faith and belief in God. That is how. What we are to do is not give the other person the satisfaction of believing they have power over you because they will continue their behavior if not with you then with someone else.

Where Is Your Identity Rooted?


I finish where I started by asking the question again so you can examine yourself, ask forgiveness, and dedicate or rededicate your life to God (and mean it). Are you willing to suffer for your faith and see the joy that it brings even when your family may be the ones bringing the strife. Are you ready to let go and let God take over your life?

God,
I am sorry that I have not been the person you desire me to be. I have tried to seek only your accolades, and use my gifts for You alone but sometimes I like to hear “Good job” from those around me. Father, help me turn the other cheek and glorify you through sharing in your grace and mercy through words and actions that point only to You. Thank You Father for all You are. Please forgive me. IN your Holy and Blessed Name, Through Jesus I pray. Amen
In Christ,
Rob, Servant of God.