Identity
There was a lady in front of us at the airport sporting a juice bag and Daniel and I were like "that is so cool". So we started talking to her about it and why she had it. She was so matter of fact about it and as soon as she had answered our questions she turned back around and didn't offer anything else to the conversation. She was in Africa for habitat for humanity. She was a lawyer. She didn't want to talk to us. Period. But what caught me about the whole thing was how she said what she said. She WAS a lawyer. She was she was she was. That was her identity and when she said it her eyes tightened, she pulled her shoulders back and she was firm in her tone. It was strange. Then I thought about what Daniel and I do. We are here to raise support for this mission we are on. We are in-fact labeled "missionaries" and people think all sorts of things when they hear that. It musters up thoughts about their ideas of God, or of their childhoods, of people they know, of people who have tried to convert them, of people who are in the jungle or martyrs. I have no idea where people go in their minds but I can see it in their eyes sometimes that it isn't on the conversation at hand. But when I was talking to the lady at the airport I was clearly aware that I didn't want that to be me. I didn't want my identity to be wrapped up in my job. Even if it is "missionary". I long for my identity to be so much more.
while people remained scarred by their past encounters with Christianity, I think like all first impressions these will fade when the identity of who we are surfaces in season. In the case with this lady, the season was short and had the Holy Spirit chosen too (or maybe He did) move, those filters are abandoned in hopes of finding deep, real truth about the other person. Perhaps, she didn't want to know something real outside her world. Perhaps it was timing.
Despite all this, you guys are real. Your faith is authentic. Your identity is secure. You are Kristi and he is formally known as the "husband of Kristi and future united nerd friend of Kevin." Simple as that.
Posted by: massivetruth | December 05, 2007 at 08:29 PM
My identity is Sister Big (for more reasons than one) I am so glad you are back on blog-land. I am jealous of all those people that get to spend valuable time with you before I do!
Jus' sayin'
Laura
Posted by: Laura | December 06, 2007 at 04:12 AM
I just read something last night on another christian blog (Hope)...here's that post:
http://www.unveilinghope.com/unveilinghope/2007/12/identity-theft.html
about this identity issue. I'm with you.. I don't want my identity to be wrapped up in my job, my abilities, anything other than how God sees me...Which looks good on paper, but how it works itself out in my day to day attitudes sometimes is another story.
Posted by: DM | December 06, 2007 at 02:50 PM
I personally think that when we are confident in where our 'significance" lies - then our identity in anything outside of God becomes less important. If that makes sense.....it's almost midnight here...
Posted by: tam | December 07, 2007 at 09:29 AM