Identity Theft

I write today, not so much because I want to, but because I need to.  It is with frustration and maybe even a little anger that I sit down to this keyboard.  The anger isn’t because someone had done something against me personally, it is for something being done to people I love.  There is a battle out there to steal the identity of my sisters in Christ.

It started for me (it actually began long before), or I first began to notice, when I was in high school.  My mom, my grandmother, and most women of their respective ages, seemed content with the choices they had made in life.  Mom and Grandma and most of their friends were enjoying life caring for their homes and family.  Most of my teachers were women, and they too seemed content with their choice.  But as I made my way through high school there was this inundation of…well…indoctrination, to convince me and my fellow young women, that I would never be happy, never be satisfied unless I chose certain “career paths” that were the “important” ones, the “accepted” ones.  And oh by the way, if you actually choose to get married, have a family and stay at home, not only do you lack ambition, but you are probably not very intelligent.  So much for actually having a choice, or at least being able to voice it.

What began to happen was our society started judging our identity by what we did.  It moved on from there to include what we look like, how much we weigh, what size we are and wear, the house we live in, the car we drive…do I need to go on?  I’m not saying that years ago we didn’t make these heinous judgments, let’s face it people are people, but who we are was much more internal than external, if not to others at least to ourselves.

These days I see so many young women chasing something they believe will give them meaning, purpose, and contentment.  Actually I see this in women of all ages, and it is weighing heavy on my heart.  There has been a quiet, seditious identity theft.  We women don’t seem to know who we are anymore and we don’t even know that our identity has been stolen.  Okay, it hasn’t actually been stolen, that would never be possible, but we seem to be trying to get by on a forged identity.

I have some young friends, intelligent women, lives that could be envied by some, daughters of the only true and living God, who seem to be confused about who they are.  A couple of them have graduated college, have decent jobs (especially in this economy), and a massive amount of student loan debt.  They both have way too much to do with never enough time.  Yet they are choosing to pursue more school (and debt) for no other reason (at least it appears to me) than they believe with a little more education and a little bit better job, that will then bring contentment.  I want to say to them; “if you can’t be content right now, exactly where you are, the battle is lost already.  Paul said to the Philippians “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13)  I so desperately want these dear souls to know where their identity actually lies, and it isn’t in a job or education.

There are a couple of other ladies I know, beautiful women that have been a blessing to me so many times.  Their lives also would be envied by most, and the things they have to offer others are immeasurable.  But they are so concerned about what they eat, that certain things don’t go in their bodies (not talking here about unreasonable things).  They need just the right clothes by the right designer in just the right (read small) size.  How can they not know that what they wear and the size they are isn’t who they are?

Part of the problem with both these groups of ladies is that they begin to judge others by the identity they desire.  It has been said to me on more than one occasion; “I couldn’t do what you do; it’s just not enough for me”.  In other words, “you have settled for so much less and I could never be content there”.  I have also been asked; “are you really going to eat that”, or “I can’t shop at a store like that”. 

Here’s my point; who we are, our identity, has nothing to do with superficial, outside sources that are nothing more than rubbish.  Again with the help of the apostle Paul I will remind us all; Philippians 3:8 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

Our worth, our identity comes from whose we are not who we are, and certainly not from what we do.  If you are a Christian, you have been purchased with a great price, and unsurpassable price and you belong to God.  He has a purpose for your life that has way more to do with Him than it does you.  Look around at where He has placed you, if He has shown you where change and improvement are needed, go after that with tenacity.  But let’s no longer live with a forged identity, one that pretends to be important and worthy.   Don’t be a victim of identity theft.  There is no greater call, no “thing” that is more important than who we are in Christ.  Contentment comes in knowing who we are and resting there.