“Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”
-Psalm 139:4-6
It is very easy to find our identities in the stuff we have – our cars, our clothes, the kinds of houses we live in. Some of us are proud of what we own. We enjoy showing it off and sharing our possessions with others. Then, some of us find our identities in what is missing, proud that we travel lighter than others do. But, that’s unhealthy, too. We don’t need to worry about what we have or don’t have. It doesn’t define us.
If I were describing to you a person who’s wearing a black helmet, leather jacket, jeans, and boots, whom am I describing? A biker. If I describe a teenage girl in a skirt and a colorful tank top holding pom-poms, she’s a cheerleader, right? The way that we think about the outward appearance forms the way we identify individuals and we reflect this back on ourselves.
Remember, we’re not what we do or don’t have. Others aren’t what they do or don’t have. We’re all God’s beloved children. No one can ever take that from us.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for reminding me that I’m not what I do or don’t have. But, I am your beloved child, now and forever. Amen.
REFLECTION: How do you identify with what you do or don’t have?
