Identity by Relationship

"Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers." Hebrews 2:11 NIV

As we learn to look at ourselves accurately, as God sees us, one of the greatest mirrors we can look in is the mirror of relationship. We are literally the offspring of God. Jesus calls us His brothers and sisters...proudly, not with shame or regret, and God calls you His son or daughter. There's an identity to be proud of!

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All of us have been called those names; some make us proud, others not so much. I was always referred to as "Perry's son" or, in school, "Perri Lynn's little brother." Both mostly irritated me. I wanted to be known as myself, not as someone's son or brother...especially not someone's little brother.

As I got older, my dad's friends at church would just call me Perry instead of Phil, and frankly, I didn't mind so much. I had begun to realize what a compliment it was to be confused for someone as loved and admired as my father. I'd begun to realize the benefits of identity by relationship.

As we learn to look at ourselves accurately, as God sees us, one of the greatest mirrors we can look in is the mirror of relationship. We are literally the offspring of God. Jesus said that seeing the kingdom of God requires spiritual birth, and in that spiritual birth, we become God's children. One Biblical translator says that we've been "re-Fathered from above."

One of my favorite statements in scripture is this: "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers." Jesus calls us His brothers and sisters...proudly, not with shame or regret, and God calls you His son or daughter. There's an identity to be proud of!

References: John 1, John 3, Hebrews 2