Definitions

Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me, or so the kids’ song goes. My mother repeated this little ditty to me countless times in my youth when my brother or sisters would tease me or my “friends” would mock me. It is a great truth that our society and we as believers would be smart to learn.

Recently, an old washed-up radio talk show host made some very ill advised and very inappropriate remarks about a fabulous women’s college basketball team. ( Imus and Rutgers for those of you who are not following me). Suddenly, his vile words became a national incident and he was summarily fired. The basketball team, which was rightly offended, held a news conference and defended themselves against these hideous remarks.

The media culture had made these stellar athletes and college students into victims. Unfortunately, the students bought into their victimization. In doing so they gave a tired old disc jockey way too much power. They acted like he had the power by his words to define them. He didn’t, until they let him.

I wonder how many of us allow others to define us by their words or even by their actions. For some of us there is a tape that plays all day long in our heads and hearts that tells us who we are or are not. It is the recording of parents, family and friends who through the years called us losers, underachievers, stupid, limited, too aggressive, too religious, Jesus freaks or inappropriate. It is the video image reflected in the media of too short, too tall, too heavy, too poor, not cool, not important and a million other adjectives.

We should not allow ourselves to be defined by what others say about us or by what they expect of us. We cannot be defined in either of these ways unless, of course, we allow ourselves to be, unless, we choose to be victims.

It is important that we find our definition in something much more significant. We need to define ourselves by two very important criteria. These are:

1) What God calls us
and
2) What God calls us to be.

The Bible lets us know quite clearly what God calls us. In Genesis 1:26 we read, “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness... let them have dominion’”. Psalm 139:13-14 tells us, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Throughout the Scriptures we are said to be special creations made in the image of God.

The fact that we are made in God’s image gives us great value. As the bearers of the likeness of the Almighty we can make moral choices. We are told to reflect who God is. We are to have dominion over the earth. We are different and distinct from the animals. We are unique.

The way we look, our personalities, our motivations are all reasons for celebration. We are who we are at our core because God made us this way. He alone defines us. Praise God. Hallelujah. Amen.

In Ephesians 2:10 we read the following, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” This verse lets us know what God has called us to be. The Greek work for “workmanship” is “poiema”. It is the word we get our word “poem” from. A great poem is a work of art, a masterpiece. God tells us that in Christ (that is to say after salvation) we are His masterpieces. As masterpieces we are created for good works. This is what God has called us to be.

As God’s masterpieces we should not subject ourselves to the critics of this world. We have been created by the Master Sculpture. We are His new creations and “God don’t make no junk”. Our purpose is good works so let’s get at it. Praise God. Hallelujah. Amen.

There is ultimately only one dictionary that defines me, and it wasn’t written by Webster. If I keep in mind that God defines me as His special creation in this world and His spectacular new creation in Christ, I will avoid the pitfall of victimization hoisted upon me by the media and all other sources, including myself. We are, after all, more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

Dave Watson - An Urban Christian