What is your real name?

When we are born into this world, we are given a name. Many will keep that name their entire lives, yet never own their identity.

What if your name is not your real one?

Like Saul who spent many years with contempt for Christians changed his name to Paul. In actuality, he never changed his name, but God gave him his real name.

It took him to break, and admit his flaws, only then had he earned his real name.

We live our lives wounded by others and accepted it as our identity. Perhaps it was your dad calling you “stupid, weak or sissy.” Or your “friends” that bullied you into a false personality. We are marked by people’s opinions, and they scar us, many times for life.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17

In defense, we give up our real identity. We protect ourselves by a false worldly view. As an imposter, we live out our lives living a lie. No longer do we recognize ourselves. Our ego takes over, we attach labels to ourselves to hide behind.

Speaker, Writer, Blogger, entrepreneur, the list goes on. Labels we hide behind,  identities that hide the real you.

Who are you?

Whatever appellation you go by. God sees through all the false fronts. You may create a new persona that your online world sees. Or perhaps even a facade that even your closest of friends think is the “real you.” But God will see your heart hidden deep inside. He has taken you into his fold and adopted each and every one of his own.

Adam and Eve naked in the garden, yet God saw all of their sins and beauty combined. So he also sees you with the same eyes. Eyes that know your true identity,  eyes that see through all your scars. Eyes that rest knowingly that all is according to his plan.

Simon became Peter when he chose to follow Jesus and become the rock of the church.

Who do you follow? Who will you become?

No matter the moniker you choose to give yourself. You are a child, a son or a daughter of the one true king. It is only that name, the one he had given you before you were even born. It is that name that is the only one that will ever matter to him.

What identity or namesake do you hide behind? What would it take to be who he made you be? I would love if you could share your thoughts below and let’s continue the story.