Identity & Value

In a few weeks, I’ll have the opportunity to share a talk with some youth leaders in Houston on the topic of Identity. As I’ve been preparing to share with them, I’ve thought about how we are currently living in an identity vacuum. We use to be identified by Jesus and what God said about us. However, that is no longer the case, and now there is this vacuum effect trying to fill the void left behind by the postmodern world. Some identify themselves by what they do, by their relationship, by their job, by gender, or sexuality. Our culture doesn’t know who they are anymore. Henri Nouwen talks about 5 lies of identity.

• I am what I have
• I am what I do
• I am what other people say or think of me
• I am nothing more than my worst moment
• I am nothing less than my best moment

These lies have definitely been accepted as truth when it comes to the youngest generation, Gen Z. Dr. Kara Powell from Fuller Seminary identifies 3 things that Gen Z is looking for. The first being identity, the second being belonging, and the third being purpose. Unfortunately, they have not found healthy answers to these 3 areas because they have believed the lies mentioned earlier. There is nothing new under the sun though. In the beginning, the enemy attempted to spoon feed man into believing their value and identity was in something other than God. The enemy in his confrontation with Adam and Eve made the claim that if they partook of the fruit, then they would be like God…. And Adam and Eve believed him. There was one problem. They were already made in God’s image. In the Imago Dei. Here is the thing about value. It is directly correlated to context. What do I mean by that? Let me give you an example, a normal water bottle cost about 5 cents at the grocery store when bought in a pack. Not talking about the fancy smart water or Fiji water. Just regular water. But you take that same water bottle, and put it in a concession stand at an amusement park, well the price jumps up to $5. The context matters. Our value is correlated to who we are listening to. Or rather, who we belong to. If we are identified by belonging to Jesus, then our value will come from what He says about us rather than what we think of ourselves or what others say about us. It is unfortunate that many have yet to find their identity in Christ and in turn have believed the lies about their value and worth that the world spoon feeds them.