"Who am I?" How do you define yourself?
This was the question that Toby got us thinking about on Sunday at CBC as we looked at the next passage in our series on John's gospel (John 1:19-34). Our society provides us with lots of labels and boxes as we attempt to define who we are - what we do; what we've achieved; what we own; which football team we support; are we single or married; do we have children or not…the list goes on.
But defining ourselves in this way often leads to an identity crisis when things change. For example, if we define ourselves by what we do - what happens when we're no longer able to do it? If we lose our job…when we retire…
John the Baptist refuses all of the labels that people want to put on him - instead he defines himself in terms of his relationship to Jesus. He is the voice preparing the way (1:23). And so he points others not to himself - but to Jesus.
So, do we define ourselves, do we see ourselves, in terms of our relationship with Jesus? Last week we read that those who believe in Jesus have the right to become children of God. Is that how we see ourselves?
