Who are you? It’s a complicated question, isn’t it? On one hand, your self-concept is rooted in your family background, your personality, the belief systems you’ve been taught, and the key people in your life.
On the other hand, you may not be who you think you are.
God is the author of your true identity. He knows exactly how He designed you. He knows the gifts He’s given you to fulfill the purposes He’s called you to.
That’s why Paul urged the Romans to think accurately about themselves:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Romans 12:3)
When you learn God’s view of you—who you really are—everything begins to change, and living a life of true spirituality becomes possible.
As you let God transform your mind, the worldly script that runs through your mind changes. That means your feelings of unworthiness or of pride, the way you relate to others, your thought life, your dreams and goals, they all change too.
This especially relates to how you fit into the body of believers, as Paul points out in this passage.
True spirituality is living as a member of Christ’s Body, the Church. If you know who you are, you can receive and give love the way God designed. You realize where you stand in the body of believers and use your gifts effectively. And you can carry out your calling to be a transformed, living sacrifice who fits God’s purposes completely.
And that’s the memo.
By Chip Ingram
