What Are You Known For?

  Start living for what you want to be known.

Tim Mossholder

WE KNOW PEOPLE based on their actions. Good or bad, reputations have a way of preceding us. John was "the Baptist." Frank Sinatra, "the Voice." Pinocchio, liar.

In Proverbs 21:24, Solomon writes about a different nickname. He wrote,

"'Scoffer' is the name of the arrogant, haughty man

    who acts with arrogant pride."

In case you're wondering, as I was, what exactly the word scoffer means, here is the definition according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Maybe It's Time We Redefine Ourselves

What do you do?

Isn't that the first thing you ask after meeting someone? Other than first name, it seems to be the most important piece of information you can obtain. Once we get those two data points, we can begin to accurately triangulate our new acquaintance's identity.

And since we place such a high value on occupation (I use the term loosely), it's no wonder that the loss of a job leads to a loss of identity. It's no wonder stay-at-home parents despair when their children leave home for good to go to college. Their job is done.

InAweOfGod'sCreation (CC)

We wrap up our identities in what we do. When we lose that thing—whatever it is we do—we feel a loss of purpose. As an author I have struggled with this. If a book doesn’t sell well or isn’t reviewed well, then I must not be worth very much. It is hard for me to separate my worth from the books. 

But the truth God has been reminding me of is this: Your identity lies not in what you do, but to whom you belong.

Easy to say, right? But unfortunately for us humans, it’s not as simple as that. And the more I’ve thought about that statement, the more I’ve realized just how deep the problem goes.