My team started a Bible study of the book of John at the beginning of the month. I knew it was going to be a good study when early on in chapter 1 the thoughts were already flying.
In chapter 1, the Jews and Levites ask John who he is. He simply replies, “I am not the Christ” (v. 20) and again they ask, “What then? Who are you? What do you say about yourself?” (v. 21-22) His response to this was, “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (v. 23)
This whole exchange is just so interesting to me!
The first thing that stands out is the question “What do you say about yourself?” It’s just not something you hear everyday. We are asked who we are (our name), to tell a little something about ourselves (where we’re from, siblings, church, etc), but rarely worded in such a way as this. Rarely are we asked what we truly think and say about ourselves. So naturally this got me to thinking of how I would answer that question. The Lord has been revealing more and more to me throughout the Race about who I am. And not just who I am, but who I am in Him.
The second thing that stands out is John’s response. He doesn’t just answer in his own words, he answers in the words of Isaiah, and what he said about John. Another thing I’ve learned on the Race is that allowing others to speak life and words into you to tell you who you are is just as important as what God says about you, because those are typically the God-given qualities that you portrait…and that you often don’t see in yourself.
For most of us, it’s hard to talk positively about ourselves, and when we do it’s generally surface-level things that anyone could point out about us. So the question “What do you say about yourself?” is important to answer for yourself. We can define ourselves by our past, our insecurities, our mistakes; or we can say that we are full of unique, God-given gifts.
We are more than our name, our family background, our church affiliation, the grades on our transcripts, the color of our skin, and all the many ways in which we’ve screwed up. So…what do YOU say about yourself? What does God say about you? What do those around you say about you?
This is what I say about myself:
I am a child of God!
I am creative.
I am caring and strong.
I have overcome my past!
I am a feeler.
I am true to my commitments.
I am a dreamer.
I am no longer a slave to fear!
I am faithful.
I am a difference maker.
I am significant!
I am a gentle spirit, a quiet force to be reckoned with.
