When you look in the mirror, what do you see? If you're anything like me, you see flaws. You see that your hair is constantly a wreck, that your skin is less than perfect, and that Chick-fil-A is evidently not a zero-calorie option. You see your humanity and your weaknesses, and you'd do anything to set them aside. You try to hide these things from everyone - even God Himself - but you know that you can't. You are a flawed, imperfect, sinful human being. That's your reality.
So where does this leave us in terms of our identity?
We have three options in life when it comes to this: we can choose to define ourselves by how others see us, how we see ourselves, or how God sees us. The first option leaves us powerless. We're at the mercy of the skewed opinions of people around us, who may sometimes wrongly glorify us or put us down. This is a wavering foundation; nothing strong enough to build a healthy identity upon. And we already know how we see ourselves. A lot of times, we are our own worst critics. To give ourselves sole power over defining who we are is dangerous - left up to our own humanity and whim.
But what about God? What does He say about who we are as people? You'd think that a god who is perfect and all-knowing would be ashamed to look upon us as His creation. However, the Bible tells us something very different.
You are made in His image.
"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female, he created them." Genesis 1:27, ESV
It says from the very beginning that God created us in His own image. We are His creations, and because of this, we are to be defined by Him. He takes care of us and provides for us. He is a good, good father.
You are free.
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36, ESV
When you accept Jesus Christ as your savior, you are no longer a slave to your sin. You are not controlled by greed, lust, envy, or anything else. You have freedom and power and authority over all these things as a creation and child of God.
You were made to do great things.
"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10, NIV
God has a plan for you to do incredible things in this world. He crafted for you a unique purpose that only you can carry out. You are more than just a number in His sight.
You are known.
"For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb... Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13,16 NIV
God knows you, not just because He has to, but because He wants to. He wants to know you and love you dearly. You are acknowledged and looked upon with fondness by the creator of the universe. He made the moon and stars and all of this great earth, yet looks at you with smiling eyes.
You are loved.
"The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying 'I have loved you with an everlasting love.'" Jeremiah 31:3, NIV
No matter what you do, God's love for you is everlasting. Even when you were just a sinner. It says in John 3:16 that God so loved the world (meaning you!) that He sent his one true and perfect son to die for us so that we could be with Him for all of eternity. He loves you - even when you sin, turn away from Him, or don't believe - and there is nothing in this world or beyond that could ever change that.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, not anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39, NIV
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23, NIV
The Gospel tells us that Jesus Christ came to pay the price for our sins. In the Old Testament, the Jews would have to sacrifice an animal when they sinned, but never could they have a sacrifice so great that it would cover all of their sins for all of time - until Jesus. God sent His one and only son to be that sacrifice. When Jesus died on the cross, he did it to cover the sins of everyone who believes in Him from the beginning of time until the end. 2000 years ago, your slate was wiped clean - no longer are you defined by your sin. It says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (ESV). When you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, your sin no longer separates you from the Lord. And He sees you as such.
When you let God take over how you define yourself, you take on the identity of being a child of God. He speaks such wonderful things about you. He calls you son or daughter. He declares you to be fearfully and wonderfully made.
Don't even find your identity in anything less than truth. You are loved. You are worthy. You have a heavenly Father who loves you more than you can even comprehend. Rest easy and take a look back into the mirror.
Now - what do you see?
