Identity

Monday  January 14, 2013

Some days it seems like I have so many...identities, roles, I mean.

This Christmas vacation I was Mom, Grandmom, daughter, wife, sister, friend...and there were days that those things collided. I had to step back and ask myself, "Which identity do I focus on?"

Peter takes a lot of hard knocks in the Bible. But he's so encouraging to me...maybe because I see myself in him. When I'm embroiled in my many identities, in wondering who I should be to whom and trying to figure out what I can't understand, Peter reminds me that my focus should be elsewhere.

In John 6, Jesus teaches his disciples, and some exclaim, "This is very hard to understand. Can anyone accept it?" As some walked away, Jesus asked his disciples, "Are you also going to leave?"

Peter answers, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God."

Yes, the teaching was hard, and the disciples had many questions. But instead of focusing on the questions and getting mired in what he didn't understand, Peter chose to revel in Christ's identity. His answer focuses not on his understanding or lack of it, but on who Christ is. "We believe. We know you are the Holy One of God."

I can just hear Peter saying, "Lord, to whom would we go?"

All too often I go to the mirror; I reason with myself, intellectualize, rationalize, try to figure out... when all I need to do is concentrate on the Holy One of God.

And when I do, I become the daughter of the King.
Temporal concerns fade away in the light of his love.

To whom would we go, indeed.



I'm linking up with Laura, and Michelle today.