A person seeks to know his or her identity. This includes one’s own participation in forming that identity. There is always some mystery about the matter, as there is in so much mystery that makes up the universe, beginning with the smallest meaningful factor of it. We are either meaningful to the expanse of creation, or merely ciphers. We like to believe that we are more than ciphers, and we are. Scripture affirms our place – all implied in the phrase that we are made in the image of God. We doubt that anything could beat that. The animals, called dumb because they do not have speech that reflects ordered thought, are ciphers to the larger cosmos. A few race horses will get a paragraph in equine stories for their magnificent pace for a few minutes in their entire lifetimes, or we are reminded of Rin-tin-tin, a dog who could do a few tricks. (During the 1930s he was introduced to our school in Akron, Ohio, and we exulted for a week or two that we had seen Rin-tin-tin.) I have learned that there were several dogs given the name, so that if the original were not up to the duty of the day, another handsome substitute would do what the original was famous for doing in show business. We believed we had the original, and we may have. I am not sure (but now doubt it). I do know there is only one of me, and no one can take my place. I need to become the best me I can become. This is a progressive matter to maturity. No one can take my place, or yours.
If we think too highly of ourselves we will likely become, in misplaced confidence, victims of other meaningful factors in the universe. Persons are important, by the witness of God our creator. Important, because God says so, and has created a special relationship to perfect them. He calls it a marriage, and relates it to himself. (Ephesians 5) Careful thought finds the shadow of that relationship in the marriage between a man and a woman on earth as analogous to the love relationship between an approved person and God. This ought to give pause to society in shifting about in the marriage experience, or in breaking it. However, God does not give up on his relationship with human beings. As I found something of myself in my marriage of 57 years, I find something of myself in the spiritual marriage of Christ to redeemed human beings. Therein is my ultimate identity and worth. God sent his love letter to the family of God in what we call Christian Scripture. It is the license to a special relationship with God through Jesus Christ, with gifts such as love (context of life), faith (acquisition of spiritual life), and hope (immortality of life). If true, as I believe it is, one would not want to stray far from the meaning of all that in personal identity. For those foreign to that understanding, the picture of the idealism seems made up, conjured by wishful persons. They look about for identity. Those who have found it in Christ feel it is set, the connective deed is done.
Clever persons can create their own identities, even if those identities can’t do what their deepest yearnings would like for them to do and be. It is interesting to follow the Godfather series of films, sometimes referred to as the best of the film genre. The identity of the lead persons, father and son, is leadership for crime syndicates, holding power by money and life threat. Others bow to them, even kiss their rings. They are devils. But, they have another identity – family. So family is made a part of the identity, and religion is incorporated in the pattern. They believe in loyalty even when they break it. They believe in God, even when they murder. Identity is ultimately lost, as savor of salt is lost when mixed with sand, and they die. Society feels good riddance of the dregs. Which identity is it, the one held by the mobster, or the one judged by society? There is no doubt that somewhere in that mixture there is identity – no matter how confused and hypocritical it may be in the playing out of large life drama. For the Christian the identity is found in Christ, in his purpose, in his development of the devout person, in righteousness, and purpose. The identity of the Christian is found in service to God and mankind – a concept often repeated on these Pages so to be sure it isn’t missed in serious analysis of conduct. There is repetition here that is quite deliberate, and included wherever the affirmation seems relevant. The concept and consequent deed are that important. This is needed in the definitions of Christianity. The service concept requires a different understanding of the faith than the faith would hold without it. To honor God, as he specifies a command of the human heart to honor (worship) God, is turned back on mankind to serve. Unless Christians serve mankind, they are declared unfaithful to God – declared so by God himself. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020