Day 198 - What is the Source of Your Identity?
📖Daily Reading
Matthew 19
🎥 Video
Join me on my morning walk as we rise and shine together by walking through the Bible daily and learn a practical applicable coaching nugget from the ultimate life coach - our creator (whatever that means to you). No judgement zone here, all are welcome, we are all on a spiritual journey because we are after all spiritual beings having a human experience.
📝 Reflection
Matthew 19: 23-24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again - it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
This is verse is a very well know passage and one that I think has been misused, abused and misunderstood by many. Preceding this verse is the story of the Rich Young Man who came to Jesus and asked what more he could do to enter have eternal life. Jesus replied for him to follow the commandments. The young man responded that he did that and what more could he do and then Jesus told him to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor and to follow him. The young man heard this and walked away sad.
After this exchange he continues to tell the disciples that anyone who gives up their father, mother, brothers, sisters, houses, property, children for his sake will receive a hundred times more in return and will inherit eternal life. There are some contradictions here, because one of the commandments is to honor your father and mother. How can Jesus ask us to honor them and also ask us to leave them or give them up? What gives? Why does he mention all of this in the same example and lesson of the rich young man?
I think at the core of it comes down to fear and what source we find our identity and value in? The rich young man was attached to his money, possessions and status. He probably not only liked all of these possessions but that had become a part and a source of his identity. I think Jesus throws all of the other examples in to drive this point home further. People, places, property, our homes, our roles, titles etc.. all can be our source of identity. Jesus is saying that he/God needs to be the source of our identity. We need to leave / give up having things, people, roles of this world be the source of our identity. I don’t think this is meant literally, I think it means that we actually can love, appreciate and enjoy all of these things more if our identity is not defined by them. We can hold them more ‘loosely’ and therefore be free to enjoy them in their proper position in our lives.
This goes back to the day we discussed keeping first things first. When we put second things first we lose. Read C.S. Lewis' essay on this again. I think this is very similar to what Jesus is saying, except that it is very clear that God is to be the first thing. Newsletters To reference that reflection you can go here and then go to First Things First Day 189.
When our identity is tied to things other than God this is a relationship that has an element of fear. If you imagine yourself living without things, money, property, your home, your people and and it gives you a panic attack and you think you would ‘rather die’ yourself than give these things up, then you might have part of your identity in these things. This is really tough! I certainly have some letting go to do in my life. I think it feels like being asked to walk a tight rope, but God’s word is the rail we can hold onto to for balance. In verses 25-26 it says The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus look at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
It doesn’t make sense and from our human perspective it seems almost cruel. This is an act of true faith and trust to be able to love God whole heartedly and he will enable us to love others, utilize our possessions, titles, property even better than we could on our own. I think this is what he is referring to when he says we will receive a hundred times as much as in return. I have really been working on this personally and I am feeling more at peace than I have in years. I have begun to let go of some of my ‘clinging’ and I feel set free. What ever you are captivated by in life will hold you captive. I am still much more like the rich young man than I want to be, but I am loosening my fearful grip in other areas of my life and focusing on God instead and finding more freedom one day at a time.
Side Note * I want add another note here out of caution. * This does not mean that we don’t love, cherish and hold things as important in our lives, they just should not be the source of our identity. This also does not mean that if something tragic happened that we would not feel the unbearable weight of this, but it is more bearable with God holding your hand and your ❤️. Also, if you have grown up in a home or have an estranged or traumatic relationship with either or both of your parents, the whole command of honoring your mother and father may be hard. I think this command is a reminder that we are not self created. There is an order to creation and it is easy to fall into the belief in self sufficiency and self reliance. You did not order or call yourself into existence you came through two other people and we are to honor that, because it honors God. God saw fit to create them even if they were not the best parents, you would not exist without them. Honoring doesn’t not mean you have to love them or even like them.
Again, this is not the gospel according to Felecia, well maybe it is, but you should not take what I say as the gospel. So as usual if any of what I have shared in my personal reflection does not resonate, please read the text yourself and allow God to give you the message he wants to give to you. God’s word does not fail, it transforms if you let it.
✍🏼Daily Journal Prompt
What is the source of your identity? How can you begin to let go and let God be the source?
📖Tomorrows Reading
Matthew 20
Coaching Opportunity
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