As
my children prepare to begin a new school year, I’ve been contemplating the
expectations placed on school aged children.
Why do we expect the things we do?
Are our expectations realistic? Mostly,
are our expectations based on what is truly most important in life? I came to the
realization that if my children retain nothing while in class, there is one
thing I want them to know and know wholly before they leave my nest. I want them to know who they are in God. Not the person others perceive them to be, but
who they truly are—children of God, beloved by God just the way he made them.
Scarily,
my voice is not the only one they’ll hear.
At a young age society begins pounding on us, trying to force us to
believe that who we are adds up to a diploma with honors, an Ivy League alma
mater, a pile of designer clothes, a staggering bank account, a flashy car, a
corner office, a magnificent mansion. The
whirlwind of society pushes our children to overwhelm themselves with myriad
extra-curricular activities stacked on top of piles of homework all in a vain
effort to define themselves as worthwhile and necessary.
And it’s not just inside the public school
system. In every church (yes, even
there), every school (public or private), every neighborhood (gated community
or ghetto), the voices beckon. The
standards are set. The “in” crowd is
assembling. The pressure is
building. And children are falling prey
to the concept that simply identifying as a beloved child of God is not enough.
As
adults we know the pressure doesn’t end with high school graduation,
presentation of a college degree, or promotion to the corner office. It only increases. Enough already! A degree is just a degree. A job is just a job. Possessions are just
things. They offer nothing. No peace of
mind. No security. No eternal reward. When viewed as identifiers, they will lead one
on an unhappy chase constantly seeking but never attaining that which will fill
the void of undiscovered identity. In
light of this, each one must seek to know, understand, and fully believe what
has been true since the dawn of time.
You
are a child of God, painstakingly handmade in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27) You were carefully crafted
with your own personal set of idiosyncrasies, fortes and frustrations. And that’s okay. God made no mistakes. You are unique. You are an amazing work of art by the Master
Craftsman. In God, you are complete. You
are beautiful. You are purposeful. You are loved beyond measure. You are treasured. You are cherished. You are beloved of God. God is your past,
your present, your future…your roots, your branches, your fruit. This, this is who you truly are—a handcrafted
masterpiece created by the all powerful God who simply spoke and the world
was. You are a child of God.
I
am overwhelmed to think it. It glitters
more than those things I’m supposed to need to enhance my identity. I’m humbled to think that God—as busy as he
must be with all the garbage going on in the world—took the time to craft me so
carefully. I’m amazed and emotionally
overcome every time I realize that I am beloved, cherished, treasured, and
unconditionally loved by God. In him I
am fulfilled. I need nothing more. In God, I find my identity.
With that in mind,
I pray that when my children finish high school (with honors or a GED), go to
college (Ivy League, community, or trade school), and become working citizens
(corner office or basement cubicle) that they will never place their perception
of their worth on anything less or anything more than their true identity as
God’s child. For myself, I pray that I
don’t get lost in a feeling of unimportant inadequacy and forget my
identity. For you, I pray that you see
yourself in these words. That you don’t allow what you do for a living, have in
the bank, or wear on your back to usurp your true identity. I pray that you will
curl deep in your soul and find peace, contentment, happiness and hope in only
one fact—you are a beloved, cherished, treasured child of God. Identify with
that.
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