Words are not only words, as so many of us often suppose. They have the power to define who someone is,
because they set a verbal or written standard by which people position or see themselves. Example: Why do parents tell their children
not to call another person ugly? Because when someone hears this word, the most
common response of the hearer is to believe and associate one’s self to the
identity of “ugly” to some extent or another.
The same can be true by way of assumption. Have you ever heard phrases like, “Just be
yourself,” or seen lists in blogs and magazines about “How to be
beautiful/sexy/successful.”? Suddenly, your mind wonders “Why wouldn’t I be
myself?” or you associate yourself as none of what the article is promoting
because the context and wording immediately positions the reader as being none
of those things. Thus, as people hear,
read and associate, so they live out!
This is not a new problem in the world; in fact, the opening
book of the Bible shows the world’s first identity crisis only a few chapters
in. Eve’s actions clearly show that one’s
understanding of their position with God is crucial to everything else that
that person does, says and ultimately lives out in every way. In seeing this, ‘belief’ or the act of ‘believing
in God’ is no longer man’s one work towards his salvation, but rather, a fully
convinced mind/heart that trusts that he is who God says that he is.
In multiple places throughout scripture, references to
mankind being created in the likeness and image of God gives us an unmistakable
position of which to associate Eve. She
was created in God’s image, BUT what does the serpent tempt her with? “The
moment you eat from that tree… You’ll be just like God…” (Genesis 3:4,5 MSG). Just as in the example of disassociation that
a magazine entices its’ readers by, Satan used his words to indirectly say, “Eve, you are not
like God,” And we all know where the story went from there.
We are similar to Eve in that our identity is linked to the
image and likeness that we have been created in. The same lie that caused Eve to perform actions
that were not within her nature is still tickling the ears of people today and
convincing them of their separation from God.
I believe that from this mindset every religion in the world has been
created: man tries to bridge the gap between themselves and a distant god;
never realizing that the very God they are searching for has already bridged
that same gap.
Realize that God did not come to save a world of worthless
people. An important question to ask one’s
self is this, “Who do I believe myself to be?” But an even greater question,
and one that you will spend the rest of your life delving deeper and deeper
into is, “Who does God say that I am?” You will be amazed by the answers that
you find, and God’s response to this second question will completely rewrite
the answer you come up with for the first as well. Do not get caught up in naming yourself by
the flimsy titles and associations that the world provides, but allow your
identity to be defined by Truth itself.
In other words, believe what God believes to be true about you.
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