"3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." (Romans 12:3)
Think of all the titles that you currently have. Mine? Christ-follower, daughter, sister, friend, barista, actress, etc. Now forget them. Because none of it matters. (I should start off with saying that I've been in the book of Ecclesiastes these past few days and that may or may not be conducive to my current outlook.) You say that you are a photographer? Take your best shot Annie Leibovitz. You say you're an artist? Get to sketching, Michelangelo. Are you a dancer? Bust a move, Anna Pavlova. You say that you are a teacher? School is in session, show me what you've got Mr. Feeny. What your resume says will only be proven by the way you live your life, by how well you live up to those titles.
Our titles are how we shape our identity.
But just like our identity shouldn't be found in the clothes we wear, the people we love, or the money we make. Our identity cannot be found in the titles we hold. Don't get me wrong, I love the titles I have and can't wait to attain the titles that I will someday receive. I love what those titles mean, the responsibilities and the privileges that I have in them. But they are just that, titles. They don't make me any better at the things I do, they can make my resume pop, but they aren't a true representation of the skills that I have. Teachers can have a classroom, but still not know how to teach. Students can go to school, but still not learn anything. Family members can be related, but still not love their family. A title means nothing without the works that back it up
And if that's the case then anytime I don't live up to my titles, my identity suffers. Because when I seek to find my identity in the labels that I have acquired or been given, the minute that I lose the ability to teach others, or to make a mean cup of joe, I lose a part of my identity. Some titles can never be lost, like sister, I will always be a sister. But when I fail to love my brothers in the way that I should, I fall short, I feel this extreme guilt that I am not worthy of the title given to me. Christ-follower would be the title that I fall short of the most.
But that's a good title, I should be proud right? Of course, many of the titles I hold are awesome, they make me feel like a better person. I'm honored to have them. But if I get to hold onto the good titles I have achieved; Christ-follower, sister, helper, teacher, I must also be willing to hold the titles that I'm not so proud of; sarcastic, lazy, complacent, sinner.
The problem with titles is that they are dependent upon my ability to achieve them. Including Christ-follower. Now I'm not saying that holding the title of Christ-follower is bad and that we shouldn't declare ourselves as such. But even Christ-follower is dependent upon my ability to follow Jesus. And I will honestly say that I don't always live up to that title.
Instead, find your identity in a title that you will always live up to. A title that isn't dependent upon your abilities, but completely dependent on an unchanging God. How about Designed by the Creator, Loved by the King, Child of the Heavenly Father, or Saved by Grace?
You will always have these titles.
