Who Are You?

 He sat across from me wide eyed as I shared counsel with him. I then asked him, "Who are you?" He stared back at me confused, struggling for words, and unable to find the answer to my question. Finally he muttered, "I am trying to figure that out."

I think that is where a lot of people are. If they were asked that same question they would answer by describing what they do. I am a housewife. I am an engineer. A teacher. Mechanic. Construction worker. A farmer. A nurse. That is not who those people are. That is what they do. 

Where does a person find their identity? The essence of who are they are? Why they exist? The world tries to shape us according to how we look, how successful we are, how popular we are, and many other things that never can tell the whole story. People plaster images and stories on social media to paint a picture of who they are. Really what they do is plaster images of what they want people to think they are. 

So I ask again, who are you? I asked the young man to turn my question back on me. He did. I replied, "I am a child of God, a follower of Jesus, Brenda's husband, and the father of Taylor, Tanner, Tucker, and Turner." Because of all of those things I know where I belong. Where I fit in. Whom I belong to. Where I have a seat at the table. 

I have found dining one of the most intimate and enjoyable experiences in life. Especially as it relates to family. What I love about our dining table is everyone has a spot. A reserved seat. A place setting. This is true irregardless of age, blunders, misunderstandings, strained relationships, hardships, sufferings, failures, victories, successes, blessings, and other life experiences. We each have a place at the table. A place where we belong. A place to love and to be loved. Each of us children of God, connected and united in faith, bonded with blood relations, fiercely committed to faith and family. 

Because of Jesus' redemption, each of the Edwards has a reserved spot at the marriage supper of the Lamb. A place at God's table along with all the other redeemed. We belong to our Father who loves us, rescued us, extravagantly lavished us with grace, and created us with intentional design. We are not mistakes. We were created with purpose. So were all of you reading this. Never forget that. God did not have a bad day when he made you. 

Who are we? Who do you belong to? I belong to Jesus. I belong to Brenda and four loving adult sons. I belong to the flock of Spring Creek. We are so much more than what we do. Our identity is found in Jesus. Our worth, or our value, is found in the price He was willing to pay to get us. Our worth is found being a part of His family.  Rest in that.