Identity Theft? Not on our watch!

Although it is safe to say I am no Roger Ebert or Jeff Berg, I do enjoy a good cinematic feature every now & then. So after convincing my wife that an action flick at a Red Box price was a combination we couldn’t go wrong with, we decided to give the movie Unknown a watch. As one might expect from such a thriller, it was suspenseful and entertaining, but just too implausible. While the overall production was not deserving of Oscar acclaim, there was a line from the film that has really stuck with me. In the movie, Liam Neeson plays the role of Dr. Martin Harris who awakes from a coma to find that not only has his identity been stolen, but no one seems to know who he is. The scenario prompts the character to describe his feeling of insanity as this: “It’s like a war between being told who you are & knowing who you are.”

Try to imagine such a dilemma of being certain of your identity, but being barraged by folks that would charge otherwise - doubters, skeptics, and people that think you are downright insane. Whether we can resonate with the doctor’s words or not, we must realize that this is a battle all too familiar for young people today. They’ve heard that they are fearfully and wonderfully made by God, that His precious thoughts of them are innumerable (Psalm 139:13-17). They truly want to believe they indeed are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), yet they grow-up in an age that constantly challenges such good news. They live in a time when identity is found in possessions and accomplishments, and their true value is held hostage by a world that celebrates external appearance over character.

We need to have this in mind as we move forward and realize our faith talks and affirming words become all the more important. We must get better at preaching the gospel to ourselves so that when our children look to us, they see us genuinely reliant on God’s truth - truth that calls us a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9), adopted sons & daughters, and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15-17). My prayer is that our lives would loudly proclaim the good news that our identity is not found in what we do but rather in holding firmly to what Christ has already done. And perhaps remember Liam’s voice through the words of C.S. Lewis’ character, Aslan, “Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen.”

P.S. - That’s why I am so excited about our upcoming middle school retreat weekend (March 15th & 16th). It is more than just a program or event. It is an opportunity to spend intentional time at an important faith map location, partnering with parents to help our youth gain a clear understanding of “biblical sexuality” and discover our confidence in Christ.