Today is labour day. Or another way to say it is that this is the holiday that we signify the work that has gone into building our country. It has taken hard work. We are not entitled to an amazing country, but we must work for it.

Over time, work like this can take over our lives. It can become all we think of and all we can pursue. Hard work is crucial. Hard work is Biblical. I’m grateful to those who have worked so hard for us to have the country we have. But is being grateful enough? Of course not.

This week at the School Of Identity, I want you to consider what work represents to so many of us. Let’s start with a crucial question about work. Let me set it up.

Scenario.

You go to an event. There are many people you don’t know along with a smaller group of people you do. The event brings people with some commonalities together but for the most part, you are meeting people that you have no significant things in common with at all. You find yourself meeting these new people. Perhaps the most common and repeated question at the event is one of the most common and repeated questions at event such as this. You know it’s coming. You have your standard answer. But this answer will hurt you. You chose to use it because it’s socially acceptable.

The question that comes to you is this identity building or destroying questions. Here it comes.

“So tell me about yourself?… What do you do?”

Follow Up.

In our society, we quickly equate what you do for financial security to be equivalent to who you are. We have made our jobs an identifier with who you are instead of just how you earn money. Labour becomes your identity.

This is so dangerous. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t work and work hard for sure. But when your work becomes the basis of your identity, then you will always struggle for the rest of your life with your identity. Because work changes. If your identity changes as often as your work does, you will never know who you are.

Your work is not who you are. What you do, is not who you are. Who you are is who you are. What you do is how you express yourself. Expression of self is not the same as definition of self. Your identity in Christ doesn’t change, but your expression of it does. This is crucial to remember.

Remember, God doesn’t change, but how He interacts with us does. This is the template for identity. Your identity has been set in Heaven. It is official. But God wants you to grasp it and then be who you are in different scenarios. He wants you to be you in context.

Take away.

Remember. Your identity is already complete in Heaven. You just need to access it. This is through relationship with Jesus. When you do, you will learn how to be you practically through your work, relationships and passions.

Today, ask Jesus who He sees you as. I guarantee you that He will not place your identity in what you do, but who you are with, or without your job.

 

 

What you do, is not who you are. Who you are is who you are. What you do is how you express yourself. Expression of self is not the same as definition of self.