Reflections on identity

Reflections on identity (click the arrow to listen)

This has been a personally stimulating study to undertake. I have tried to bring together the many themes of the bible from which we might draw conclusions. Perhaps the overall one was in the study on ‘Identity and character’. In that, I concluded this:

Servanthood is our identity – the servant-heart uses gifts and personality for the common good.

Servanthood characterised Jesus. Angels are servants to believers. Paul the Apostle saw himself primarily as a servant.

The bible reveals that servanthood is an eternal identity. In the Book of Revelation, we see an innumerable multitude of people joining in the worship of God. John asks who these are and receives the reply:

These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple (Revelation 7:14-15)

Eternal life is eternal service.

birth

While composing these studies I came across an interesting modern perspective on identity. It was written by a new mother who was coming to terms with the immense changes in life that a baby brings. All mothers will be able to identify with these challenges of first-time motherhood. For modern people, appearance and presentation are especially important in the way they view their identity and in the way they wish others to view them. Giving birth challenges their previous ideas of identity. The lady was desperate to recover something of how she used to see herself writing:

“… it’s a truth and a testament to how fashion can make you happy. Beautiful jumpers saved me. The more sensible … may scoff at this comment, but to deny the power of clothes is to deny the power of self-image. My identity, as a travel and style writer, a ‘yes’ person, a plugged-in punter swinging and occasionally climbing journalism’s greasy pole, took a solid bashing when I had my daughter. It may sound fickle, but all mothers can relate to the identity shift that happens after your first baby is born, how you are forced to figure out how to keep being the person you were in snatched moments of time alone; how you have to cling on to parts of your former self while fumbling in the dark for a new identity.”

Motherhood is a new identity: in fact, it is founded on servanthood. The baby requires devoted 24-hour attention. The previous priorities of the self-life have to take a back seat.

I don’t wish to appear to be criticising her personal conflicts. I am sure she will be an excellent mother. All parents will understand the challenges of parenthood. In the end the new servant identity of motherhood has to be embraced. In fact, it is a wonderful thing which can produce positive character change. However, this mum’s honesty does illustrate how powerful the modern concept of self-image is.

spiritual

The enormous changes which new mothers have to come to terms with reminded me of those famous words of Jesus:

‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
(John 3:3)

A new birth means a new identity: to this all Christians are called. New birth is a spiritual experience in which the Holy Spirit plays a vital role. It is a complete change of life. It involves turning our previous priorities upside down. We are spiritually born out of self and into Christ; out of self-serving and into Christ-serving; out of sin and into holiness.

Becoming a Christian means coming to terms with the life of servanthood which Jesus demonstrated and calls us to imitate. Servant life is spiritual life. Paul viewed his true inward identity in this way, writing:

God, whom I serve in my spirit (Romans 1:9)

Personal identity-seeking can be a self-serving, self-seeking obsession. It can divert us from seeking to fulfil the plan which the Lord has for each one of us. I hope this series of studies will help us reflect on our calling and help us discover our real identity as servants of God’s perfect will.