identity

have you ever noticed that one of the first questions you hear when you meet someone is "so, what do you do?"
So much of our identity and how we are perceived comes from what we do and not who we are. That is why when we find ourselves in situations where what we are doing is not necessarily reflective of who we are, an identity crisis ensues.
Those who are unemployed or working in jobs that they dislike struggle in figuring out just who they are.

Even though i thought that i had such a firm grasp on my identity, i find myself dreading that question "what are you doing?" It makes me doubt myself and what i am doing.

In my Bible study this past week we started reading Titus. This short book in the New Testament is a letter from Paul to, you guessed it, Titus. In this letter, Paul is giving Titus advice for establishing leadership in the local churches on the island of Crete. Paul lays out in the first chapter the qualifications of elders for the church. Some of the qualities that Paul lists are being above reproach, patient, hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, and self-controlled. Something that our leader pointed out was that these qualifications for leadership had nothing to do with what they did, their talents, or gifts, but it had everything to do with their character.

In other words, according to the Lord, the question is not necessarily "what do you do?" but,

"who are you?"

What if that became our question when we met someone?

What would you say?

daughter.
sister.
beloved disciple.
passionate.
obedient.
organized.
joyful.
hard-working.
a child of the living God.

who just happens to be working a job in retail. (did i mention i got a job?)