He was finishing the long process of moving into his first home and he decided to mark the occasion by mounting one of his most prized possessions in a prominent place in the living room. It was his masterpiece, one that had taken months to finish and had required all his training, skill and natural talent to complete. It was a unique combination of his two loves, painting and design. He slowly exhaled as he stood back and gazed at his magnum opus. Now, he sighed, this feels like home.

When the call came from mom that her and dad would like to come and see his new place, he had a flood of emotions, but the two most prominent were pride in all he had accomplished, and fear. That old fear of rejection. It had apparently not gone away, but still lay dormant in his mind from childhood. Jason wasn’t sure that either emotion prevailed, but at the end of the day, it was common courtesy that made him agree to having them over.

His emotions were all over the map leading up to that day. It was a good thing their visit was just a week away, he wasn’t sure he could have waited much longer.

When the evening finally came, he made sure everything in the house was in place and perfect. Trying to prove yourself, comes with a lot of pressure. When the doorbell rang, he took a deep breath, went to the door and let his parents in.

After hugging his mom and shaking his dad’s hand, (dad was never a hugger), she commented on how lovely the small home was and went on and on about the life her son had made for himself. Dad was nodding his head in agreement, until that fateful moment when the painting in the living room caught his eye. He stopped and stared at it briefly. It seemed like time stood still. Dad broke the silence with a slight chuckle as he proclaimed, whoever painted that, better not give up their day job!

It was a sucker punch to Jason’s gut. All those childhood memories of not being enough, began to wash over him. He tried not to react. He had a fleeting thought that he would tell his dad who created the painting, but then decided it would do no

good. The rest of the night was a blur and after his folks left, Jason collapsed on his couch and the dam broke. His tears, that he had held back from earlier that evening, mixed with something pent up for years and all he could do was sob uncontrollably.

His dad was a high school football coach, passionate about the game. Though Jason played football a couple of years, it wasn’t his passion. He was pretty good, but it just was not life-giving to him. That was something his dad had never understood, and when he chose a career in art and design, the rejection was palpable.

When you read this story, what was your reaction? Anger toward the father for not accepting his son as he was created to be? Were you thinking, what a travesty, I would never act that way? That was my reaction at first, but then it hit me, I’m guilty of responding this way on a regular basis. Hopefully not toward others, but definitely toward myself. Like, when I look in the mirror and am disappointed in the reflection looking back at me. Like, hating how I look, how I blow opportunities and mess up pretty regularly. I rarely think of it this way, but when I disparage myself for my shortcomings, I’m speaking ill of the one who made me in His image!

King David wrote in Psalm 139: You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works. My soul knows it very well.

Then in Romans chapter 9, the apostle Paul writes: But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, Why have you made me like this?

The world screams at us day in and day out that we need to be like everyone else, but The Creator didn’t make another person like you. He wants you to embrace your unique mix of gifts and experiences and be all He intended you to be.

Whether it’s from someone in your life or from you, it is dangerous to accept a false identity. Only God can reveal your true identity, and when you live in that identity, it is life-giving. And it’s then, you can reach your full potential.

If you don’t know what your true identity is, ask the Lord, your Creator, to reveal that to you. As He does, embrace it and live it out. When you do, you and the Lord together, become unstoppable!

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