Have you noticed that everyone seems to be offended?  Even outraged!  Several weeks ago a school decided not to have a Valentine’s party lest someone be offended.  But of course their decision offended other people.  Facebook is full of the rants and ravings of offended people.  What are we to make of this?  Here’s my theory.

Somehow we have come to base our identity on what others think and do.  So if someone thinks or does something that I like, it validates my thoughts and actions, and so validates my identity.  On the flip side, if someone disagrees with me about something or does something I don’t like, it opposes my thoughts and my actions, and so threatens my identity.  And I get offended, or even outraged.

And so suddenly having or not having a Valentine’s party threatens someone’s identity.  Opposing or supporting same-sex marriage, or gun-control, or abortion, or practically anything threatens someone’s identity.  We can no longer have a rational conversation about anything, because our identity is at stake.  And so we quickly get offended or even outraged.

Even many Christians, who should know better, seem to have based their identity on what the rest of world thinks and does.  The majority of our country used to agree with us on moral issues, but now it doesn’t, and so our identity is somehow threatened.  And so we act like the rest of the world – offended, outraged, ranting and raving.

But our identity as Christians is not based on the opinions or actions of others.  Our identity is found in Christ who loved us and died for us and made us children of God.  We are in Christ.  He is our identity.  And so we need not be so easily offended.  We need not be outraged at every little thing that happens.

Now let me be clear – we may not like what others think or do.  We may hate the sin that we see in our culture and the harm that it brings to people.  Sin should bother us.  Sin is offensive.  But we need not be offended or outraged by the thoughts and behaviors of others as if it somehow threatens our identity.  We ought not live in a constant state of offense and outrage.

Our identity is found in Christ and not in what others think or do.  So let’s live as Christians and not be so easily offended.

 

In Dicken’s tale, Oliver Twist, Oliver’s mother dies far from home while giving birth to him.  Not knowing whose family he belongs to, he is raised in poverty in a work house.  His troubles and the shame of his poverty define him.  Eventually he runs away only to get caught up in a gang of thieves.  He is caught trying to steal something, and now society defines him as a thief – he is defined by his sin and guilt.  But the one he tried to rob turns out, as the story continues, to be his grandfather.  He is more than the sum of his troubles, his shame, his sin, and his guilt.  He is part of a wealthy family.

What is it that defines you?  Maybe it is your troubles.  Your trials are huge, and you have let them define your life.  Maybe it is shame for some past hurt done to you.  Maybe it is guilt for some past sin you committed.  Maybe it a sin that you wrestle with today.  But the one you sin against, it turns out, is your Father.  You are more than your troubles, your shame, your sin, and your guilt.  You are part of God’s family.

You are the beloved child of your Heavenly Father.  As his child you have a new identity.  You no longer have to be defined by your troubles, shame, sin, or guilt.  Your identity is now found in Christ.  Jesus suffered so suffering wouldn’t define you.  He bore your shame, so you wouldn’t have to bear it anymore. He bore your guilt on the cross so you could be called righteous.  And he defeated sin as he rose again so you could overcome it in your life.  God loves you.  You are his child.  Find your identity here.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” – I John 3:1a