I finally reached the dusty counter of the country store. I reached back for my wallet… It was gone! All my cash was gone. Worse, I realized that my identity, my I.D. card, was gone as well! Still worse, I didn’t know the name that was on it. I didn’t know my name! The last large town, I remembered showing my I.D. and having someone tell me, “Sorry, that name is already in use. You’ll have to pick another name!”
A new name? But I’ve always had this name! It made no sense to me, but I had dutifully gotten a new I.D. card with a new name, Freddie. I’d only had the new name for a week when I realized I had lost it. I couldn’t remember my new name! My brother walked over just then and said, “Don’t worry. I’m sure that when you called Mom about your name change, she wrote it on the calendar!”
And then I woke up! What a dream. The rest of the story, including a cattle drive, a handful of Chinese toddlers and a bag of bread…. well we’ll just leave it at that.
I actually did call my Mom early yesterday morning, more as a joke than anything, I think. Just checking the calendar.
So, if I was in doubt about my identity, who better to call than Mom! Mom and Dad gave me a name before I was born. They guarded my first steps. The guided my words and actions as I grew. They built things into me that became who I am. Regardless of my foibles as a child or adult, they always remind me where I belong and that I have a place in their hearts. That is a powerful and grounding thing.
Not all of us are blessed with receiving powerful and grounding identity from their parents. There is still one better source for identity. One best source for connection and belonging.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! -1 John 3:1 NIV.
Look higher! There is one foolproof method for determining who you are. One reliable Source for clarifying your identity. One Person who is sure of who you are, who wants you and always has.
I am called a child of God. And that is who I am!