Identity Crisis 1
“Who are you?!” That
was the question passenger A asked passenger B, his opponent during a
bus-fight. I was so eager to here the reply of passenger B but he never
answered the question. Right there, I kept thinking what the reply to the
question would have been if I were asked such. We must have asked or have been
asked this question numerous times in the course of our day-to-day activities,
but so many never really take time to think of what the answer could be. Some
tend to answer by defining themselves by their occupation rather than their
identity. Who you truly are sheds light on your actions and the things you say!
In Acts 19:14-15, this question was asked the seven sons of Sceva by a demon.
They could not answer the question. Was it that they didn’t know who they were
or they were just short of words? Maybe one of them should have said: ‘I am Simon
Sceva’ or something, which may have stopped the demon from beating them up! As
funny as their story always sound, have you ever imagined what your answer
would be if you were being asked such? According to the Encarta dictionary
(2009), identity is the set of
characteristics that somebody recognizes as belonging uniquely to himself or
herself and constituting his or her personality for life. It is equally a powerful feeling of
affinity with another person, in this case, Christ, which involve regarding the
Person of Christ as a model to copy in all wise. The first church in Acts of
the Apostles was defined by the world as Christians because there was a clear
likeness in being, action, and character with Christ Jesus; but the story is
taking a different turn in the world we live in today. There is a growing gulf
between Christ and His church in this present generation. The umbilical cord is
gradually becoming weak; the value we place on the efficacy and
originality of Christ Jesus and His Word is diminishing by the day and we
(God’s children) don’t seem to care or show any remorse. Rather we have become
the perpetrators of such evil and it doesn’t seem to border us at all. As each
day passes by, we seem to be losing hold of our identity (Christ’s Identity) in
exchange for the world’s identity. The original intention of God is for the
church to make a difference, but we have become a replica of the world. The
church has become a place for ceremonies, fashion shows, and all sorts of
jamboree in an attempt to ‘spice-up’ our services and ‘activities’, basking and
growing ‘robust-fully’ in self-glory, self-dreams, self-methods……it is now all
about our ‘self’; displacing the position and act of “true worship”. Pulpits are
now used to preach and excuse behavior that negate God’s Word. Jesus Christ is
almost here as He promised, thus: ‘Who exactly are you?’ is the question God is
asking you as He did Jacob. What is your answer? God bless you.
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