Who am I and what am I doing here?

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Who am I and what am I doing here? How many of us have asked ourselves this question? "I'm so and so's wife, mother, daughter…" "I'm just a housewife, a secretary, a factory worker." "I'm tired, sick, overworked and underpaid." Excuse me. Did you hear my question? I didn't ask what or how you are. I asked who are you? Do you have a name? For some of us, it's often hard to remember that indeed we do. Think about it for a moment. Your name. Imagine it being said out loud. Think of the tone used when it was uttered. No, no; some of you have already drifted to "Momma!" "Honey," or, in my case, "Old woman!" Come back to the present with me. Starting with the lady on my left, tell us: who are you? I'll start so that there's no confusion. I'm Stefanie. See, that was easy. Now it's your turn. So, now that we have re-claimed a part of ourselves, let's take it a step further. On a sheet of paper, write a word that describes you that starts with the same first letter of your name. For instance, I might write "stubborn" because Stefanie begins with an s. Try to write at least three words in this manner. I wrote suppressed, seeking, and stumped. I want you now to write three words that tell more of your role in society. No, they don't have to begin with the same letter (although you can if you so desire). For instance, public servant. Oops, that's two words. But you get my point, don't you? Take a moment to add to your list. The words I chose are friend, audience, and leader. Let's discuss our words for a few moments and learn a little more about each other. Who am I and what am I doing here? I asked you this earlier. How many of you just don't know? I often wonder. Let me share an experience I had on Saturday. While at Wal-Mart, I ran into a former co-worker. When she didn't react cheerfully to seeing me, I called her on it. Turned out her 26-year-old son had been murdered the week before. Needless to say, she was heartbroken and I better understood her lack of response upon seeing me. After we hugged and talked another minute or so, I asked the question that most of us do in situations like this: is there anything I can do for you? She asked, tearfully and a bit forcefully, for me to pray for her. Assuring her I would, we said our goodbyes. In conclusion, the crux of this devotion is this: Who am I and what am I doing here? I'll tell you. You are child of The King. You are a royal ambassador. You are Christ's representative. You are the one who is supposed to turn the other cheek when you've been offended. You are the only Jesus some people will ever see. Wilma had seen Jesus in me. That's why she was able to nearly demand that I pray for her. Did I fulfill my promise to her? Yeah. I think of her often and ache for her. I pray that God will help her with the anger she is surely feeling. I ask Him to help her to focus on the good times she had with her son. I ask Him to comfort her as only He can, for He too lost His Son to murderers. He knows how she feels. Who you are varies from moment to moment. But keep this in mind: no matter where you are, who you are with, or what circumstances you find yourself in, you are saved. You are on display. You are constantly being watched. Are you in shape, ready to be recognized as God's child? He doesn't vacation and neither can we. We must be ready in and out of season to share His love, His compassions. What if at work I had decided to hide my identity in Christ? What if Wilma hadn't seen Jesus in me? It's amazing the comfort a hug, a kind word can bring. It's beyond comprehension what the prayers of a fellow believer can do. Is your light so shining before men that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven? Who are you and what are you doing here?