Identification Please

People often throw out the phrase "identity in Christ" and I never know what that means. They say they know their identity in Christ. If that were a multiple choice question (What is your identity in Christ?) I don't even know what the choices would be. If the question were "what's your favorite color?" or "What state were you born in?" or even "What's your favorite part or verse in the bible?" I would at least know what some possibilities would be: Blue or green, Wisconsin or California, Romans 12:2 or 1 Timothy 5:2.

As I often do with overused statements and cliche's I tried to reword the statement so that I could understand it in a way that makes sense. I asked myself, "If God issued my ID card and not the state of MN, what would it say about me on that card?" My first thought was that I am a son, a brother, an ex-husband, a coach, and a friend.

That's all well and good, but those are just my relationships to other people. Who does God say that I am? I am a child of God, a son, an heir to the Kingdom, the bride of Christ. I am a man who seeks after God's heart. I am a disciple, a missionary, a servant. Satan has no power over me and sin's chains have been broken. I think that's a pretty sweet identity.

I'm also rereading Eldridge's "Wild at Heart" and he talks about "taking the mask off". I guess he means that we act in a way that is not who we are to hide. Hide what or from what...? I guess it's to hide our wounds and to hide who we actually are. What lies about the world or about myself am I trying to hide? What wound(s) am I hiding or compensating for...? Boy, those are tough questions that I just don't have answers to.

What do these two separate questions/comments have in common? I guess it's about who we are and who we act like we are. And I guess even who we think that we are, even though we have no idea.