WHO AM I?
My dear peeps: I am completing one of my ministerial courses and the big exam question is WHO AM I? Below are the restrictions I was given and my proof for my conclusion. It's a real brain thinker. It has caused me to really examine myself, my worth, my life, and my beliefs. Hope it helps you as well.
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This was my final exam question. I was told I cannot define myself by my work, my organization(s), my denomination, etc., that means that I must grapple with the very thing which has haunted me since my work injury and I became unable to work at my former position. It left me lost, confused and thinking "who am I?" and "what purpose is there in my life since I now am faced with limitations that cannot be changed?"
This question, further caused me to question what purpose do people serve that are incapacitated, either physically or mentally?
This put me in quite a quandary, as the world definitely defines by title, position, power, social status, money, who you know, what strings you can pull, basically, you are only as good and valuable as what you can do or accomplish.
This thought, although we buy into it as part of "The American Dream", really, if you look very closely, it smacks of the same ideology as the Nazi's; You're only value/worth is what you can bring to society.
This question echoing in my mind, I put some real thought into "who am I" and my own concepts which were not only affecting my thinking of myself but also how I viewed others and life.
My thought always has been, and honestly still remains, that if I were to be paralyzed from the neck down and unable to care for myself, I'd rather be dead. However, what about those who are in this position? My own personal concept would lead to the idea that their life and purpose is not valuable just because they are limited. This was a harsh wake up call because I personally believe all life is valuable and has a purpose, otherwise, God’s purpose for them would be complete and they would discontinue being alive, having fulfilled their God given purpose.
WHO AM I? The only true source to view is God's. The world's view is always opposite of God's and further, the world's value of human life is non-existent by a great degree. That's why a woman can kill her unborn child since it is inconvenient to her, serves no purpose but hinders her plans, etc. The elderly are shoved into nursing homes without visitors, out of sight, out of mind. Children can be exploited for another's purpose or abuse. All of these people are not valued in many instances.
So, let me see what God, who made me, has to say about His creation...me. He says this in Genesis 1:26 - “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” In this one verse, I can see: I was deliberately planned, wanted, and made.I was made in God's likeness, so I resemble Him.I was created with power to have dominion and authority on this earth.This tells me God, my Creator, gave me lots of ability and yet not one of them state a title, money, my physical inadequacies, etc. It's all positive.
WHO AM I? God has more to say about that. In Hebrews 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: This verse tells me I’m quite something! A little lower than the angels!I’m crowned with glory (splendor, distinction) and honour (esteem, respectful regard) .Lastly, He must trust and believe in my abilities to set me over the works of His hands.
WHO AM I? God continues on in Psalms 139:14 where it states: “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” I, by God’s word, am fearfully (reverence) and wonderfully (exciting wonder) made.Even my soul (the spiritual, rational, and immortal part in man, life, essence) knows this truth.
WHO AM I? God states in John 3:16, “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I am in this world, by God’s design, and this verse emphatically states His overwhelming love for me. He loves me so much, that He gave his ONLY begotten Son. Therefore, there is great value placed upon me by God.
All the above statements can be surmised in this:
I am uniquely wonderfully fearfully made. Not by chance, but by perfect thought, fore-planning and of the highest design with the greatest of purpose and love. I am endowed, by God, to have dominion over the creations of this earth and since I am created in His image, I also have the ability to create, love, think, feel, dream, hope, believe, and choose to place my will completely into His will, fully obedient, as is His Son, Jesus. I, further, have eternal life, if I choose to believe in Jesus.
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This was my final exam question. I was told I cannot define myself by my work, my organization(s), my denomination, etc., that means that I must grapple with the very thing which has haunted me since my work injury and I became unable to work at my former position. It left me lost, confused and thinking "who am I?" and "what purpose is there in my life since I now am faced with limitations that cannot be changed?"
This question, further caused me to question what purpose do people serve that are incapacitated, either physically or mentally?
This put me in quite a quandary, as the world definitely defines by title, position, power, social status, money, who you know, what strings you can pull, basically, you are only as good and valuable as what you can do or accomplish.
This thought, although we buy into it as part of "The American Dream", really, if you look very closely, it smacks of the same ideology as the Nazi's; You're only value/worth is what you can bring to society.
This question echoing in my mind, I put some real thought into "who am I" and my own concepts which were not only affecting my thinking of myself but also how I viewed others and life.
My thought always has been, and honestly still remains, that if I were to be paralyzed from the neck down and unable to care for myself, I'd rather be dead. However, what about those who are in this position? My own personal concept would lead to the idea that their life and purpose is not valuable just because they are limited. This was a harsh wake up call because I personally believe all life is valuable and has a purpose, otherwise, God’s purpose for them would be complete and they would discontinue being alive, having fulfilled their God given purpose.
WHO AM I? The only true source to view is God's. The world's view is always opposite of God's and further, the world's value of human life is non-existent by a great degree. That's why a woman can kill her unborn child since it is inconvenient to her, serves no purpose but hinders her plans, etc. The elderly are shoved into nursing homes without visitors, out of sight, out of mind. Children can be exploited for another's purpose or abuse. All of these people are not valued in many instances.
So, let me see what God, who made me, has to say about His creation...me. He says this in Genesis 1:26 - “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” In this one verse, I can see: I was deliberately planned, wanted, and made.I was made in God's likeness, so I resemble Him.I was created with power to have dominion and authority on this earth.This tells me God, my Creator, gave me lots of ability and yet not one of them state a title, money, my physical inadequacies, etc. It's all positive.
WHO AM I? God has more to say about that. In Hebrews 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: This verse tells me I’m quite something! A little lower than the angels!I’m crowned with glory (splendor, distinction) and honour (esteem, respectful regard) .Lastly, He must trust and believe in my abilities to set me over the works of His hands.
WHO AM I? God continues on in Psalms 139:14 where it states: “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” I, by God’s word, am fearfully (reverence) and wonderfully (exciting wonder) made.Even my soul (the spiritual, rational, and immortal part in man, life, essence) knows this truth.
WHO AM I? God states in John 3:16, “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I am in this world, by God’s design, and this verse emphatically states His overwhelming love for me. He loves me so much, that He gave his ONLY begotten Son. Therefore, there is great value placed upon me by God.
All the above statements can be surmised in this:
I am uniquely wonderfully fearfully made. Not by chance, but by perfect thought, fore-planning and of the highest design with the greatest of purpose and love. I am endowed, by God, to have dominion over the creations of this earth and since I am created in His image, I also have the ability to create, love, think, feel, dream, hope, believe, and choose to place my will completely into His will, fully obedient, as is His Son, Jesus. I, further, have eternal life, if I choose to believe in Jesus.
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