“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” Philippians 2:14-16 NLT
I make a point of not checking the news first thing in the morning. Doesn’t it seem like every headline screams, “This world is a mess!” The evil of this broken world and the propensity of broken people to intentionally hurt each other is present in almost every news story, written in bold, black letters. News headlines set a negative tone for my day right off the bat and I have decided to spend my waking minutes orienting myself toward God. It’s hard enough to wake up and focus on God. I don’t need the news to distract me. What about you?
Once my eyes begin to focus and the caffeine kicks in, I want my first thoughts to remind me of who God is, who I am because of Him and how I am supposed to live. In his letter to his friends in Philippi, the apostle Paul tells the Philippian believers to “live clean, innocent lives as children of God.”(Philippians 2:14) His challenge to his friends is the challenge for you and me as well: Live, clean innocent lives and shine in a dark world.
What does that look like anyway? What does it mean to live a “clean, innocent” life as a child of God? What makes the children of God so different from other people that they seem to “shine”?
Being a child of God is who you are, not what you do. Let’s talk first about what it means to be a child of God. Do you understand your identity as a child of God? When you were born, you didn’t have to do anything but exist to be the child of your parents. You just were. And regardless of what kind of parents you had, even if you were not raised by them, as their child, you reflect some of who they were. You might look like your dad, but your words and vocal inflections may sound like your mom. When I lived at my parents’ house (ages ago!) people would confuse my telephone “hello” with my mother’s. Somehow we sounded the same. In what ways do you reflect your parents?
Being a child of God is something that you are. From the moment you surrendered your life to Christ, and even before, He began to put elements of Himself into you. Every human was made in the image of God. That means that humans were created for the purpose of reflecting who God is and what He is like. But, eventually the first humans messed it up and sin separated all of us from God. That separation makes it impossible for us to reflect God’s image well until we are reunited with Him through the cross of Jesus. That’s when we truly become children of God.
Do you understand that when you surrendered to Him you received a new identity? You are chosen and loved by the Father and an heir to His kingdom. (Ephesians 1: 13-14). Not rejected. Not abandoned. The blood of Jesus signed the adoption papers. You have a new name and a new family identity. Are you living according to your former family identity or in the freshness of your new identity as a member of the family of the King of Kings?
When I got married my name changed. My identity changed. I was no longer just a child of my parents. I was also the wife of my husband. I was a part of my birth family, but I also became a part of another family, my husband’s family. Each family has a different identity, a different flavor, if you will. I had to learn how to live as part of the Zahradnik family. I knew how to live as a Giordano, but now I had to discover what it meant to also be a Zahradnik. When our children came along, we began to develop our own family identity. Something that is uniquely us.
Your birth family will always be a part of who you are, but as you learn more about who you are as a child of God, it will change how you think about yourself. Behavior flows out of identity.
Living a clean, innocent life flows out of who you are. Your actions reflect how you think about yourself. Who do you really believe that you are? When you ground yourself in the truth of God’s Word and understand that you are loved and belong to Him, it begins to change how you respond to things. Maybe you will be less anxious wondering how things you can’t control are going to turn out. That’s part of what has happened to me. I wonder, but I also have peace that I didn’t have when I was younger. I have come to understand that, as a child of God, I really can trust Him to do what is best, even when it isn’t what I would have done. And believe me, there have been plenty of times when I wouldn’t have done things the way God has! But growing in grounded-ness has helped me to relax.
Knowing who I am because of Whose I am makes a difference in how I behave. My relationships are improved (Not perfect!). Because I know that I am loved by my Father I am less likely to be grasping for the affection and approval of the important people in my life. When I am hurt by humans, it doesn’t change my identity. I am a loved, chosen child of God. That allows me, and you, to respond to challenges in ways that better reflect who He is in all of His purity and perfection. Even though we don’t do it perfectly, it is still so contrary to what is common that we sometimes seem to stand in a spotlight. Right?
Your new identity makes you different and that is okay! When we respond to criticism or curt words with grace, when we set aside defensiveness and retaliation, when we willingly work to benefit others and silently serve those who seem to be against us, when we openly love those who oppose us, we are reflecting our identity as humans who have a Heavenly Father. Be a proud and confident child of the King. Then the opposition of unbelieving friends and family members won’t sway you. Know who you are because of Whose you are and live for Him and Him alone.
As chosen children of God, you and I have a new identity. Separate from our old family identity. As we learn what it means to be a a part of God’s family and what our new identity looks like, we will live “clean and innocent lives”, free from past guilt and immersed in God’s love. How could that not overflow into the way we respond to others?! His love is what motivates us to behave differently and that sets us apart. I am okay with being different that way! How about you?
Dear Friend, remember to re-orient yourself daily to the truth of your identity. As a follower of Jesus, you are a chosen child of God, reflecting the glory of Your Father in a world that is darkened by deception and — let’s just call it what it is — sin, that separates creation from its King. Headlines remind you of who you were, but not who you are.
Know who you are. Live who you are. Let His light shine through you!
Key Thought: I have a fresh identity as a child of God.
A Scripture to Consider: “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” Philippians 2:14-16 NLT
A YES Challenge: Who is the person that gives you the most opposition about your faith? A co-worker? A family member? Take some time with God and ask Him to show you how you can live out your fresh identity with that person. Ask Him to show you how to respond to that person in a way that shines.
Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for making the way for me to be adopted into God’s family. I am overwhelmed with Your love! I want my life and how I live to flow out of that identity. I want to walk as a confident child of the King! I want to shine, reflecting the purity and power of God Himself. Help me to treat others well, regardless of how they treat me, or Your honor and glory. Amen.