Who Are You?

Most men like to think of themselves as handymen. We don’t like to call a plumber, electrician or carpenter because that would mean we don’t know what we’re doing and there aren’t too many of us who will admit that. When we moved into our house, one of the first things we did was remodel a bathroom. I knew exactly what I was doing. I had it all well in hand – that is until I removed the sink and felt warm rushing water on my feet. There wasn’t any time to figure out exactly what went wrong. I was too busy running through the house trying to locate a valve to shut off the steady stream of water flowing all over our bathroom floor and pouring into our basement. Thankfully my wife wasn’t home at the time so I could collect myself without too much public embarrassment and then plan my next move. That move was to call my grandfather in Pittsburgh.

Pap was a plumber. He had soldered pipes and snaked drains most of his life. Surely he could help me out of this mess, I thought. So, I described the problem and waited for his instruction. “Call a plumber”, he said. I didn’t listen and after eight hours and several more phone calls, I finally fixed one simple, broken pipe.

Why was this so difficult? I had everything I needed. Pipe wrench? Check. Solder? Check. Flux? Check. Soldering torch? Check. There was one problem though– I’m not a plumber. I had all the tools, just not the knowledge.

Tragically, this is exactly how many Christians live their lives. We have all the tools, but lack the knowledge to put those tools to use. We have heard that all of God’s promises are “yes” in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). We have been told that we have ten thousand guardians in Christ (1 Cor, 4:15). We have been taught that we have power, love and a sound mind in Christ (2 Timothy 1:7). We have learned how God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). In short, we know we have all the tools. We have all the resources available to us. But, just like having a pipe wrench doesn’t make me a plumber, having all the spiritual tools necessary doesn’t make us victorious Christians. We need something more.

Many people define themselves by what they do. As someone who they are and they might say, I’m a father, or I’m an engineer. Some may define themselves by where they live. I’m an American, they may say. While those may be accurate identifiers, they do not make up one’s identity. As believers in Christ our identity is rooted in something much deeper – something much more holy.

Colossians 3:12 says “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Notice how God describes us. First, we are chosen people. Literally, that word means we have been selected. I realize some don’t like this idea, but the reality is God chose us before we ever chose Him. Before we get a big head though, we must understand that this choice was not made based on anything but His mercy. There was nothing special about us. There was nothing that set us apart from the rest of humanity. In fact, we were just like the rest of humanity – sinful, repulsive beings who deserved nothing but wrath. But, for some reason God saw fit to purchase us with the blood of His Son. We belong to Him now. He is our father and we are His children.

Second, we are holy. Did you catch that? We are not waiting to be holy. We are holy. We have been set apart. We are different. It is a present-tense reality. God has already set us apart for His special purpose. Like grandma’s fine china, we have a special place in the Father’s cabinet.

Finally, we are dearly loved. We are not just loved, we are dearly loved. The Greek word used here is the same word that is used in Matthew 17:5 when the Father says, this is my Son, whom I love. The Father loves us like He loves His own Son. Why is that? Because we are His children as well. The love between the members of the Trinity is the same love between the Trinity and us.

So, what does this all mean? It means we are defined by something much greater than a job or where we live in this world. Our identity is defined by God. He has called us. He has chosen us. He has made us holy. He dearly loves us. Not only did He give us tools, He certified us to use them.

This is perhaps the greatest truth in the entire Bible yet it is one that is often overlooked or brushed aside. Knowing who we are is vital to knowing what we can do. We will never know what we have or what we are capable of until we grasp the wondrous truth that our identity is rooted in how God sees us, not in how we see ourselves which is often determined by how others see and describe us. God’s reality is what matters.