What Defines Me

Have you ever asked yourself the following question?  What defines me with relation to the scope and boundaries that I should live by?  I believe it’s not only a personal choice, but possibly consequential in nature.  Let’s face it, the consequences of wrong choices can lead to negative impacts in one’s life.

Today, the boundaries of choice have broadened more than ever before in my lifetime.  These boundaries have become so wide and extended to outreaching points that things that used to be embarrassing and wrong to do are becoming activities of the norm.

Many people exercise their freewill to choose wrong rather than right, because they can.  It seems the older I get; wrongs are accepted as right, and right is sadly recognized as wrong the farther people fall from God’s statutes of righteousness.

There are individuals that could care less what God fearing men and women, or society in general, think of their antics or how rebellious and defiant they sometimes exhibit.   They do what they want to do regardless of what others think. 

I interpret this type of freedom or freewill of choice as being anti-social, while demonstrating self-serving actions that speak louder than words when defining their personality.  When a person thinks no one is watching and does something distasteful or wrong, these actions reveal their character and define who they really are.

When I was a kid, my older sibling told me if ever I were in question or in a quandary as to whether something was right or wrong, I should ask myself, “What would Jesus do?”  Right or wrong decisions define a person’s persona.

You may ask, “What defines me?”  I don’t know the answer, but I believe walking with the Lord is the defining factor that matters most in a person’s life. 

Jesus defines me.  I would hope that people see me as a Christ-filled individual having compassion, while demonstrating, through word and deed, the magnificent mercy and grace that God provided to me at the cross of Calvary when Jesus died for my sins.

God gives me a positive visual to others when they witness my reaction to taxing things or how I carry myself in stressful moments.  I want the words that proceed from my mouth to be kind, gentle in nature, and reflect positive responses of Godlike discourse, rather than being negative and using assertive, pessimistic rhetoric.

I try to emulate Christ in speech and trust that others see the Lord in my actions and deeds.  These inherent attributes denote who I really am.  I pray they define the character of Christ and not the spirit of darkness.

I hope my countenance and what proceeds from my mouth reflect the nature of Jesus rather than Satan, in that I profess to be a Believer in Christ.  My desire is that everyone around me sees Jesus in me, because my identity is in Him.  Who is Jesus?  He is the Son of God Almighty who died on a cross for the sins of humanity.

Coworkers, neighbors, and people that I rub shoulders with may have only me as a reflection and representative of God that they see in my actions and the words I speak. 

I trust that my personality remains wholesome and inviting enough to influence those that are searching for answers to unanswered questions, and allow me to share God‘s love and the beauty of His forgiveness and abundant life that they can have in Jesus.

I want people to feel my compassion and be receptive to words of encouragement, because of the nature of Christ that I strive to exude.  As a Believer, the Bible says that I am to let my light shine before men like a city set on a hill, and that they see my good deeds.

(Matthew 5:14-16), “You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (vs 15) “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” (vs 16) “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

My desire is that kindness and happiness shine through me, and Godly sincerity illuminate the surroundings of wherever I go, which defines who I am not only in my daily walk, but those times when I think no one is watching me.

Remember this, God sees all.  My goal is that I portray the Spirit of Christ, always.  This is what defines a person as being a child of God.  For this reason, it is very important to focus on wholesome things that feed the mind through the eye gate and hearing. which spills out to those around in positive conversations and actions.

In like manner, adverse input to the brain can influence one’s mental capacity in negative ways.  Computer lingo goes something like this, ‘garbage in, garbage out’.  I never want to share garbage with family members, friends, and neighbors.

Any type of crassness that attempts to enter my brain to take up lodging in my inner man cannot happen lest it spills out in destructive ways sooner or later, which would reveal what people see inside me.  I must constantly be on guard to not fall victim to Satan’s snares by opening my mind to trash.

(Galatians 6:7,8), “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (vs 8) “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

If I slip and fail to keep myself on the right track, God is faithful to forgive me of my negligence, while cleansing my thoughts when I ask for forgiveness.  I do not believe this promise from God to forgive my wrongdoing gives me latitude or a license to deliberately do wrong with the anticipation of asking forgiveness later.  It seems to me this careless thinking would be like walking on thin ice.

We should not take foolish liberties to tempt fate.  I endeavor to discipline self to be responsible in presenting my body a living sacrifice unto God, respectful to the cause of Christ and the blood He shed for my redemption.

(Romans 12:1), “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

I challenge myself, daily, to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove when striving for the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus our Lord.  When I do this, I am a positive witness for God to those around me.  I believe this is what defines me, but more appropriately, Jesus defines me.

Written by,

Papa Boyd