Thursday, July 26, 2007

What makes you special?

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

Who are you? How do you define yourself? What makes you special? What gives your life value and meaning?

Some people feel special because of their accomplishments. They identify themselves as a great athlete or a superb salesman or a technical quiz. Their life feels like it’s worth something because of the salary they pull down, the property they own, the position of leadership they have achieved. Other people find their meaning in life through relationships. They identify themselves by their nationality, their school, or their family. Their life feels like it’s worth something because they are a loyal American, or a booster of their high school, or a successful spouse and parent.

But what happens when these things go away? Who are you if you suddenly lose your job of twenty years? Who are you if your school closes? Who are you if advancing age steals your health, your savings, or your memory? Who are you if you are the only surviving member of your family?

You can’t find lasting meaning in earthly things, because everything around us eventually goes away. If you want your life to have permanent meaning and unchanging value, you have to seek your identity elsewhere.

Let me tell you who I am. I am an evil person. My daily reality is one of frustration and disappointment because I think things I shouldn’t think, say things I shouldn’t say, do things I shouldn’t do, and let opportunities to do the right thing slip away unused. Yet in spite of this, I am a person loved by God; He made me, and He made me unique—there is no one else like me. Because of his love for me, He sent His Son to suffer and die so that I can be forgiven for being evil. He has given me the companionship of His Spirit to comfort me when life is hard and show me how to live a life of value—serving God by sharing His love with others. I am an adopted child of God, and that will never change, because God lives forever—and so will I! That’s who I am—who are you?

Blog Top Sites
Blog Directory & Search engine
Blog Directory