Who Do You Think You Are?

Who do you think you are?’ Anyone ever had that said to them? So what’s the answer? It could be a variety of answers; I am what I do, I am what I’m known for, I am what I’m capable of, I am what I’ve achieved, I am what I possess, I am what I earn, I am any number of things!

I’ve been challenged recently to think about how much of my identity is wrapped up in external things; I’m a husband, a father, a leader but here’s the thing; to God I am first and foremost a human ‘being’ not a human ‘doing’. In the famous story of the prodigal son we always think it’s about the son who ran away and how the father welcomed him home. But when Jesus told the story he was telling it religious people who never ‘ran away’ they were very, very good people and the son who ran way was very, very bad.

The thing is this; all the Father wanted was to have his sons in his home in relationship with Him, He just wanted to be with them. The saddest person in the story is the elder brother, he only really wanted what his father could give him just like the younger son. He tried to shape his identity by what he did, ‘I have never disobeyed you,’ he said.

The father had to step outside for both his sons and invite them into His home. He still does the same for me…..for us…..for you…..’who do you think you are?’ You’re a son or daughter loved by the Father whether you’ve very, very bad or very, very good He invites you into His home, there’s a party, come on in!