Who Are You?

Today I met some people for the first time. The first was a couple who came to pick up some old hymnals we had been storing for them for at least 7 years. The other was our new insurance agent. During the conversations with them, I learned about their backgrounds, their jobs, their families, and how they enjoyed life here.

Great people, and I really enjoyed our conversations.

Tonight though as I reflect on the day and those conversations, I realize how we humans work so hard to get our "publicity work" done. In almost every initial conversation, we all seem to work to make sure the people we're talking to know who we are. Yet - think with me here - there are a lot of ways we could say who we are, and not all of them are equal.

It starts early.

Karrin Quinnell is an adorable little girl who blesses New Hope with her boundless energy, and terrifies us with her ability to disappear without warning. We used to call her "Kezzie", one of the cuter nicknames I had ever heard, and one that fit her perfectly. Last night she brought me a plastic plate with a plastic egg on it, and an empty toy cup. I said "thank you Kezzie", I love eggs and coffee. She said "it's hot chocolate, and my name is Karrin." Mmmm... hot chocolate and fried egg.

It's still tempting to call her by her nickname, and sometimes like last night I slip up, but she sets me straight. Karrin is how she wants to be known.

She could say she is the daughter of Robert and Stacy Quinnell, or the granddaughter of Jim and Mary Quinnell. And she will later on, but for now, she's Karrin.

My prayer is that one day, all that will change.

When I was reading the Bible today, I stumbled across something that I never really noticed about the apostle John. Now I've read John's gospel dozens of times, and his letters frequently. In that gospel, and in those letters, John wants people to know Jesus. In them, even though he's John the theologian, John the apostle, John the evangelist, John the teacher and John the leader of a community of faith, how does John want to be known?

One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. John 13:23

It hit me tonight that there are a lot of ways to identify yourself to others, but being someone Jesus loves trumps them all.

John later, reflecting on this himself must have been as amazed as I was to think of being loved by God.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1

There's no better way to be identified. Who am I? One of the people Jesus loves. If you know Him as Lord and Savior, you are too. And my prayer is one day Karrin will come and tell her pastor that "I'm the one Jesus loves."

What a difference that love can make.

Grace!

David
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Visit with me at my blog:
http://davethepastor.livejournal.com/
Or visit New Hope!
http://www.newhopevalp.org/