Now you might find this to be a very interesting question or not. I find it very interesting because there are so many ways you can define who we are as people. Height, weight, eye color, hair color, language, and the list can and does go on. Depending on what the subject is that might be discussed, there would be certain criteria used to define who we are for that purpose.
For this blog today, the way I define who we are is very simple. We are all human beings created by God and the first ones were Adam and Eve, Now that wasn't so hard was it? It isn't for me and I hope not for you. Yet there have always been in the history of man those who might not accept such a real truth. They might have looked for or are looking for something they deem more reasonable or believable than having faith in our creator God.
You know it is faith that begins the process. A person cannot see or hear an audible voice that they can connect to being God. So faith becomes how a person begins to accept the truth of creation and God. Then over a lifetime of experiencing the reality of God and seeing His handy work all around. Reading the Word He has given us, sensing and following the Holy Spirit in us, we understand who we are is not about us after all, it is about God.
One day every one of us will die or Jesus will come back for all of those who are alive at that time. Regardless of which occurs first for me or you, if you are saved, it is eternity with God
I am a man, husband, father, and grandfather. I am also a Christian, a Pastor, and an American citizen. Just with that list, you can get a pretty good idea of who I am. It is important to know and acknowledge who we are but for me those things are temporal. They are temporal in all of our lives.
Unfortunately, I am afraid, too many other things have come into defining who we are as people and it is not serving us well. Let me share a thing that for me is vitally important. Remember who I am is first a Christian and that has to be the foundation from which I live.
I want people to be kind to me and respect me. So I do that for others and it makes no difference to me who they are or what they believe. But why am I that way? Well, because I learned from God's Word in Luke 6:31 that Jesus said-
Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
Jesus said treating people the way I want to be treated will cause them to do the same to me. That is not what He said because He said the ...way you want them to treat you. There is no guarantee that people will in turn treat you that way. When we consider this, history has shown and we see today that if they know you are a Christian they have no desire to treat you in like manner of your treating them. As my mother had said so often "it is what it is". That Thelma-ism is very popular in our family. There is another phrase which is "this too shall pass". Neither were original to Mom, but they are certainly important for any one of us to note.
Who we are has a lot that goes into it and it affects how we live, what we think, and how we react. An important point to note here is that we all have to live and we do so in a world that is diverse and complex. There is so much going on and the reason is because there are so many different people with different thoughts and beliefs. There is more to it than just that but that is the beginning point.
People, and I mean people worldwide, want to be free. They want to do what they want and enjoy life each day. History has proven this point time and again. It is the essence of who we are as a nation. Founded by immigrants from England looking for freedom. Freedom from a monarchy and freedom from a church-state. Listen this country has made many mistakes in its history. You have in your life because we all do, none of us is perfect.
Why have people come here throughout our history? For freedom to live and freedom to worship, to name just two. We are a nation of immigrants and more are coming each day. There is no problem with people coming. I think it is great and I know many who have come. I would prefer that all come the lawful way which we have now and is done each day. I believe what is happening now is wrong and will leave it at that.
Let me make it clear that God wants all to come to Him. But He has a way and a manner in which one comes to Him. Through Jesus Christ and as my favorite verse in Scripture says in the words of Jesus Himself as recorded in John 3:16-17 NKJV-
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Who are we? As you can see it is a very interesting question and can go a lot of different ways. There is one thing I can tell you all for sure and that is everyone who asks the question who we are? We are people who need a Savior and He is Jesus Christ.
In God's Grace,
Elbert Nasworthy
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