One of the first questions we get asked when we are kids is, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Our typical childhood answers to that question range from astronaut, to fireman, to president of the United States. Seldom do our childhood dreams come true.
One of the first questions we get asked when me meet someone as an adult is, "So, what do you do?" Why is our job one of the first things things people want to know about us? Do our jobs define us?
I think a better question to ask someone, if you are truly interested in finding out about that person, is, "Who are you? or maybe, "What defines you as a human being?" It is often hard to answer those questions unless we first dig deep and examine ourselves, truthfully.
I watched a movie recently called Alita: Battle Angel. Alita didn't know who she was.at the beginning of the movie but eventually she figured it out. Who she truly was soon became apparent as she encountered life and reacted to it.
After Alita discovered who she was, her father told her, "Now you know who you are."
Who are YOU?
Jesus KNEW who HE was. This passage from Matthew indicates the best way for each of us to define who we are in this life. Pay close attention.
"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” - Matthew 16:13-16
Who do OTHERS say that we are? What do others think about us? What do others think we are good at?
Peter knew that Jesus was the Son of God. And Peter's statement also defined who HE was.
What defines us as human beings? Is it our jobs? Is it our education? I don't think so. I think it is our compassion and love for others that defines us.
I had lunch with a young friend of mine recently. She is compassionate and cares deeply for others. But at the same time she is also unsure of her future. My prayer for her was that God would open and close doors in her life and that His Holy Spirit would lead her to where He wants her to be.
We can try to figure things out for ourselves but that often leads nowhere, working in dead end jobs. If we follow our hearts and follow God's leading, we are sure to end up exactly where God wants us to be.
When God asks us who we are in heaven one day, what will we say? Based on what we just read in Matthew, the best answer has to be, "I am a follower of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God."
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