First

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.  He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. — John 1:10-13

One aspect that stood out to me during a recent conversation was the way individuals choose to define themselves.  Gender and ethnicity are common identifiers, and people are often categorized by skin color, which can lead to various assumptions, biases, and judgements.  Additionally, contemporary society is frequently influenced by political perspectives that contribute to personal identity.  Despite these factors, there remains a fundamental identity that has surpassed all others in my own view of self.

Over two decades ago, I made the decision to become a born-again Christian.  While this journey has involved considerable personal growth, I have come to recognize my primary identity as a child of God.  This perspective does not diminish the importance of experiences that helped form who I am.  Rather, it reflects an understanding that every aspect of my background has contributed to reaching this realization that my foremost identity is as His child.

It is easy to get lost in the many identities this world gives us.  We are described by our careers, our families, our nationalities, and our ideologies.  The problem is that these identities often compete for priority in our hearts.  When we begin to define ourselves by the temporary instead of the eternal, our peace falters. The truth is that the world’s labels are fragile.  They divide, categorize, and often wound.  But the identity God gives is unshakable.  No achievement, failure, or opinion can alter who we are in Him.

We are offered an invitation to be with God through Christ.  Though the world may overlook Him and people may reject Him, Jesus still extends His hand to all who believe.  The privilege of becoming God’s child is not something we earn or inherit through our actions.  It is a gift of rebirth through faith.  By embracing this very fact, we begin to understand that our truest identity is not determined by what others see but by what God declares.  Furthermore, our words and actions begin to resemble more of who He is not what the world expects.

Being a child of God means we belong not because of our merit but because of His mercy.  It calls us to live differently, not striving to prove our worth, but walking confidently in His grace.  When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened, and God said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Matthew 3:17) Before Jesus had performed a single miracle or sermon, He was loved simply for who He was.  That same truth extends to us. Our worth is not tied to doing, but by simply being His.

When we live from that identity, how we treat others changes too.  We stop seeing people as categories and start seeing them as God’s image-bearers.  Our focus moves from comparison to compassion, from division to divine unity.

Today, let us be reminded that we are children of God first.  Let this declaration guide our responses, soften our tone, and shape our choices.  Before identifying with a role, a party, or a preference, let us root ourselves in that divine belonging.  Let every interaction flow from that eternal truth.  Where have you allowed worldly labels to shape your identity more than the identity as God’s child?  Who in your life needs to be reminded through words or actions that they too are loved as a child of God?

My prayer is that we never forget who we belong to and that we live each day as cherished children of Christ first.  Amen.