Tip of My Iceberg

At seven years of age, Ward shows up in a multitude of ways. He can be the dapper young man who is polite and gracious. He can be the focused student who strives to do his best in class, or the fiercely competitive soccer player who pushes himself to practice and improve his shot, or the fun little brother who is loved well by his older sister. And he can be the goofball who will do anything for a laugh.

What I enjoy about this young man is his energy to be fully himself wherever he is. He doesn’t live life complacently; since he was little, he has never done anything halfway. And he usually does it with a smile.

Ward has a passion for life. He does what’s necessary to accomplish the task at hand. At his age, that task will change frequently. He’s not entirely certain of what he wants to be when he grows up, but there’s no rush for him to come up with that decision now. (Becoming a professional soccer player may be the dream.)

Have you ever noticed that kids aren’t as confused about who they are as many think they are? Kids go through phases of what interests them, and their dreams change as they learn more about the possibilities. Inquisitiveness doesn’t define their identity. Identity is developed as we grow in understanding of ourselves, the truths of our stories, and the impact of the world.

As we grow into adulthood, it’s easier to be confused about who we are. For the people-pleaser in me, I can often feel like a chameleon who shape-shifts with anyone I’m around to be what they expect me to be. That’s not an identity; that’s a circus act. Assessments can tell me how I’m internally wired, how I respond to the world, or how I interact with other people, but they don’t define me as a person.

Various people can label us differently, depending on their experience with us, much like the story of the six blind men trying to explain what an elephant is. They each felt a different part of the body, some saying it was similar to a tree, others saying it was like a rope, still others believing it to be more like a huge fan. It’s the part they connected with that led to their conclusions.

The Bible has much to say about who we are. First and foremost, we are made in the image of God, with an intellect, emotion, and a will. “So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.” Genesis 1:27. We have the ability to think for ourselves, to embrace emotions that impact us, and to make conscious choices about what we will do, think, and believe.

It’s even better than that. The God who made us in His image is very aware of our human frailty. His love is long, high, wide, and deep, and He chose not to leave us in a state of permanent brokenness.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2Corinthians 5:17

Our wounds and messiness, which keep us from experiencing a perfect relationship with God, are taken care of by Jesus’ death on the cross. In a relationship with Him, we become redeemed and restored to having an intimate connection with the God who created us.

That’s who we really are.

Ward has time to decide who and what he will be. Many of us don’t have that luxury. Time is not in our control; we don’t know how much of it we have on this earth. Knowing Jesus guarantees heaven.

That defines the who and where we want to be.