Bible Passage: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16)
Scripture Reading: Judges 6:1-16
Many voices try to tell men who we are.
They tell us we are successful if we make lots of money.
They tell us we are desirable if we are good-looking or in shape.
They tell us we are significant if our position is high enough.
Consequently, we begin to hang our identity on those things.
But these things all can change in a heartbeat. One economic slump, one accident, one injustice, and the whole house of cards comes tumbling down.
That’s because we weren’t meant to hang our identity on these things. Our identity is rooted elsewhere. It is not the opinion of people that matters; it is the opinion of the Lord that matters.
Consider Gideon.
Around 1190 BC, Israel was under great oppression by Midian. The Midianites would roll in, plunder Israel, then roll out. Israel was terrified and cried out to the Lord.
Gideon was in a winepress, threshing wheat. Basically, he was hiding so that the Midianites wouldn’t take his grain.
The Lord comes to him and says something out of this world:
“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12).
Gideon is in shock.
“Uh, are you talking to me? My family is the weakest in the land, and I am the least in my family!”
Gideon had one idea of who he was; the Lord had another. And those two ideas weren’t even close.
Consequently, Gideon was acting opposite to how he was meant to.
It is critical for men to know who they really are. You can find an identity anywhere, but there is no guarantee that it will be even close to the truth.
If you believe that “the guy in charge” is your identity, then you will act more like that and be driven more by fear.
If you believe that “nobody” is your identity, then you will act with less initiative and more negativity.
If you believe that “son of God” is your identity, then you will act with joy, love, and supernatural power.
To fear the Lord means that you take His opinion of who you are over every other opinion.
He has the right to define you because He is the One who created you!
He knows you best and loves you most. He sees who you are today and who you will be in the future.
Fear the Lord and find your identity in Him.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I am so quick to find my identity in my job or in my abilities. I get threatened whenever those things are challenged, either by my own failure or by someone else’s ambition. One day, I am going to leave this world, and the only thing that will matter is whose child I am. Oh Lord, have mercy on me. Be gracious to me and help me to really grasp that my true identity is found in You. Amen.
Reflection: Do you realize today that you are a son of God? What could be greater than that? What does Jesus want to say to you about who you really are?
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