| What Makes You You? - article by Joel Hempel
[The following is an imagined conversation between Pastor Scott and me, Joel.] On Sunday, Pastor Scott began his message with a thought-provoking question. Pastor: What makes you you? Joel: Well, speaking for myself, I could say I am an ISFJ on the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory. I am also “Self-Actualized” on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and somewhere between the “Generativity” and “Integrity v Despair” stage in Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development. Is that what you mean? P: No! Not even close! J: Okay. Let me try again. I’m a middle-class, old white guy, Lutheran in religion, married to Marcia, father and grandfather, and I have a doctor for almost every part of my body. Does that tell you who I am? P: Although interesting, no! J: Give me one more chance to get it right, and I'll be serious this time. I am what we all are: Uniquely created by God – in fact, newly created by God with the “old” being gone and the “new” having come (2 Cor. 5:17). P: Okay. You’re getting closer. J: When you think about it, this is all somewhat mysterious. But be that as it may, mysterious or not, it is true. We are new because, as Christians, we are now in Christ and Christ is in us. That is, we have his identity. Jesus’ eternal nature is now ours. God’s thinking is our thinking. Our Lord’s identity as Servant is our identity. Just as Christ was born into this world to be a blessing to all, we get to be a blessing to whomever the Lord places in our path. P: You got it! But say more about being new in Christ. J: Let me put it another way! We are not just patched up new people, nor are we just repaired or reconditioned. We have been made altogether new spiritually. And as you – Pastor Scott emphasized – we have been created new for two purposes. First, to live a life that is eternal in anticipation of being with all the saints in heaven. And secondly, we have been made anew to use our gifts as a blessing for others. Just think about the verse from Ephesians 2:10. We have been “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Whatever our job, our vocation, our calling in life, or our age, we get to join Jesus in an adventure of a lifetime seeking God’s will for us each day. P: I like it! J: Tell me if you like this. Satan will work overtime challenging our identity in Christ as well as questioning our renewed and forgiven nature. He will use his messages and messengers to attack our peace of mind and confidence in Christ. So remember, he is a liar, and those who work for him – knowingly or unknowingly – are liars. Rely on Christ and his Word as your best defense. P: Amen! Let the people of GLC say AMEN! | 
