Identity

I have to admit that this topic intrigues me greatly. I am currently reading the Book Outrageous Love Transforming Power by Terry Wardle. I thought that I would blog on this book a little to spark some deep thinking to hopefully deepen my walk and hopefully yours as well. I must also admit that I at present do not think that my walk toward maturity has passed the infancy stages at times, let me explain. There are times that I think that my walk with Jesus is so far off course that it will never get back on course at other times I feel so close to Jesus that I do not see how we could be any closer. The book covers what it means to be mature in Christ. The key areas involve identity, intimacy, community, character, brokenness, ministry, empowerment, and authority. The author dedicates one chapter to each of these. In the chapter on identity the author relates that Jesus' identity was secure in that he did not find it in position or in what he did but allowed God to give him his identity. Apart from his identity in the Father he was nothing. The author makes the comment that identity that is based upon position or power is in essence the wrong place to build ones identity. I often struggle with this because I am a person the likes to compete to be the best and I have often found myself fighting the idea that my position in management or teaching somehow defines me. I must constantly remember that my identity is in what God says I am not in what I do. Another part that struck me in this opening chapter was that Jesus was so secure in his identity that he could serve others. The author brings up when Jesus washes the disciples feet. How humbling here the Son of God gets down on his knees to wash the feet of those that should have been doing that for him. I have really been thinking about what that means to me as a leader. Am I willing to lay everything aside and let someone else do my job or am I so insecure that to do so would jeopardize my identity. I would like to say that every day I can pass this test but sadly there are those times that I fail at this miserably. I will write more on this book in future posts.