What is it that defines who you are?

What is it that defines who you are?

Is it your career? Your title? Your family name? Your bank account? Your degrees?

I guess, we will all answer this question in our own way and with our own emphasis. However, I find it interesting that when we meet Jesus, a lot of these things change. They no longer define us. We may still keep some of these things (job, family, titles etc.), but they don't have to define us anymore.

Coming back to the John 4 account of the Samaritan woman, did you notice how, in her hurry, she left the water jug behind? John tells us: “Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town…” (John 4:28)

There could be a few reasons as to why she leaves it behind, but I am moved by Tim Keller's take on this. He says: “When you encounter the real Jesus, the things that once defined your life no longer hold the same power.”

Her life had changed. Her encounter with Jesus showed her that she was loved and that she had a purpose. It was not just fetching water at midday that would define her but telling others that she had met the Messiah.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Remote jammers

Today I popped out to the shops to pick up a few things. I wasn't in a rush, which was probably just as well, because as I clicked my car remote I noticed something strange - it didn't sound the same as it usually does. I turned around and unlocked the car and locked it again - this time I checked that the doors were shut.

At the same time the guy parked nearby saw me and commented that he was having the same problem with his car. Together we realised that someone had just jammed our cars, so we stood around and watched the cars around us. Suddenly a car with 3 youngsters pulled off near us - they knew we had seen them. I guess we got off lightly in the end.

This incident made me think about how often we don't hear the message from God because there are other signals blocking the message. These 'signal jammers' could be a whole lot of things, ranging from stress, fear, anxiety, anger, sin, selfishness, pride, busyness and so on.

Let's resolve to pay attention to the voice of the Spirit. The message that the Spirit wants to convey is filled with LIFE - it does not want to rob us of anything.

Titus 1:9 - "He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it."

Living in Grace
D3LM3