Identity Theft

I am currently leading my students through a series I call "Identity Theft," based on 1 Peter 2:9 where Peter declares "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (NIV)  This week we are focusing on the "royal priesthood" part of this passage and it has me thinking. One of the great responsibilities of the priest is to reflect God.  How good are we at reflecting God?  

How many times throughout life, in your quest for identity, have you changed something about yourself in order to be like another person or a particular group?  In middle school I remember tight rolling my pants and wearing "Dex" shoes in order to fit in.  It was the age of "Saved by the Bell", tight rolled pants, and Z-Cavaricci.  Honestly though, my parents did not like spending tons on "name brand" clothes so I never got the real "Dexters" so I had to wear a cheap knock off pair that was really uncomfortable....and really, not cool.  And as bad as wanted the "Z-cavs", there was no chance of that.  So I was a dork trying to be cool ... and I tried so hard.    I was never really "cool" but I sure tried to be at different times in my life.  I struggled with my identity and therefore often mimicked certain people or certain groups to try to be something I was not.

I doubt that I am alone.  Nor do I think that this is just a teenage problem.   I think people of all ages transform themselves in order to be like someone else, to look like someone else, to keep up with the Joneses, etc.  We are great at copying others through our language, fashion, houses, finances, and more.  However, rarely will we take the time to really try and be like God.  In 1 Peter 1:13-16 he writes: “(13)Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  (14)  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (15)  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; (16)  For it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

What if ... instead of looking for our identity in others, we looked to be more like Christ?  What if we stopped conforming to the world and began to conform to Christ?  If we would become the priesthood we are called to be and reflected God in all we are and in all we do we would see changes all around us.  

We would see changes in us.  We would find our true identity.