Who are you?

Who are you?  Lots of titles are used to describe you and I daily.  Some of them we choose. Some are chosen by others.  Some of them are true, some are facetious, and some are completely unfair. Many things are said about us none the less.  So you and I may as well take the initiative and write our own description, because we are being talked about.

Here are some titles I would used to describe me. I’m a pastor. I’m a husband. I’m a father. I’m a son. I’m a brother. I’m a friend. I’m a servant. I’m a Republican. Most of all though, I’m a follower of Christ. 

Here are some other descriptive phrases I would use. I am caring. I am a listener. I am an encourager. I am passionate. I love to worship! I am unafraid to speak the truth. I am unashamed of who I am. I am transparent.

In thinking about how I would describe myself, I have noticed something. I can hardly think of anything bad to tell you about me.  That’s not because there aren’t any bad things about me, but because none of us want to portray ourselves in a negative light.

If I am honest though I realize that there are things that I only wish, I could say about me. Yet I cannot confidently say many of those things.  I want to say I’m handsome. (lol) I want to say I am a great dad. I want to say I am a wonderful husband. I want to say I am a very good preacher and pastor.  I wish I could say that I am a revolutionary leader or a powerful presence for the Kingdom of God.  But in reality, I have no right to say any of those things.

Those things are all determined by my life and how I live it.  They can only be said by others who observe me and know me.  Only my wife could truly tell you if I’m a wonderful husband. My daughters know whether I’m really a great dad or not. The church I pastor knows more than anyone else what kind of pastor, preacher, or leader I am. (By the way, I know I can improve in each of these areas.) It’s really not about how we might describe ourselves, the truth of who we are is determined by how we live our lives. 

While writing this, I asked my wife, Tracy, to describe to me who I am.  She had some good things to say, and some not so good things. Since I have already described myself as transparent I’ll share some of both with you.  Tracy said, “You are smart, loving, stubborn, caring.  Did I say stubborn?  You are a lover of God, overbearing, a worshipper, sometimes a procrastinator, slow to change, somewhat neglectful of health.” I stop there, not because she stopped but because I didn’t like the other labels she put on me.

The truth though, is how we live is a reflection of who we really are.  What I allow in my life, what I believe, who I really am, will be seen by those around me.  We cannot hide what’s inside.  What I value will be evident.  It will be evident in my conversation.  It will be evident in my character.  It will be evident in my priorities.  It will even be evident in my vote, come election day. What I value will become who I am, and who I am will be evident in every aspect of my life.

What does your life show those around you?  What do they think you believe by the evidence you are offering?  Make a choice today to define your own life, to describe yourself, by living as you want to be interpreted. Determine who you are and live that way, and when the world sees it, there will be no question.  Or… you can live an undefined life not knowing who you really are. Even then it will not keep everyone else from knowing who you are, because others are observing you and describing you constantly. So who are you?