Perhaps due to the 21st Century, we have all been delegated a myriad of roles, more than before, and more than ever. Beyond roles in the family, we take on roles in school and in the workplace; our increased involvement in societal activities seems to add to our growing list of responsibilities.
In the process, I notice that our identity slowly becomes pigeonholed - in specific pockets of time, I am a student; in another, a teacher, and so forth, but rarely do any two roles merge.
Is this happening to our Christian identity too? Are we pigeonholing it in specific periods of time, like Sundays and Wednesdays only?
While this “pigeonhole” phenomenon brings no harm to our secular life, it would be troubling if we took this approach with our walk with God. I am not a student, daughter and a Christian - more accurately, I am a Christian student and a Christian daughter. Instead of isolating our faith and treating it as one of the many factors that make up our identity, “being Christ’s” should perforate our everyday lives.
Our walk with God is and has always been a 24/7 event; it does not end after our daily prayer, nor does it end after our Sunday worship service. If it does, perhaps it’s time to review God’s place in one’s lives and re-shuffle one’s priorities. One will run the risk of having a worldly attitude outside of one’s “time with God” - which is exactly what we want to avoid (Rm 12:2).
In actuality, our whole life is a walk with God, an opportunity to serve God, and a chance to let our Christian light shine (Mt 5:16). This can happen concurrently as we fulfil our other responsibilities. More importantly, our identity as God’s children should remind us of our constant duties to obey His commands.
So what does the Christian identity entail?
1. Doing What a Christian Should Do - Our Best
Because the identity “Christian” is attached to our roles, we have an obligation to live up to that name. Since our actions play a part in influencing others’ perception of us and their receptiveness to hearing more of God’s word, giving our best is the one of the ways to win over another soul (1 Cor 10:33). On the contrary, pigeonholing our Christianity reduces the chances of us demonstrating Christ to others; the lacklustre performances as a result would be an inaccurate reflection of what walking in the light is. It creates opportunities for others to doubt the body of Christ (1 Pet 2:15).
2. Doing Everything to the Glory of God
Naturally, the aforementioned should be coupled with this mindset. Col 3:17, 23-24 is an excellent reminder for us. In doing our best with an admirable attitude, we are set apart from the world and can hence glorify God. Truly, our Christian identity can shine through our sincere heart and actions. At the same time, knowing we abide in God and obey His commandments, we do not have to be ashamed when He comes (1 Jn 2:28). What we want to avoid is being a “double-standard” Christian - on one hand, we claim to know God, but on the other hand, our actions are a total 180° (Tit 1:16).
In this complex, polarised world, it is more crucial than ever to hold on to this Christian identity. As some like to say, being a Christian is a full-time job. Hence, let us put on the mindset and heart to glorify God in all that we do, preserving our special identity.