Jesus asked them, “Who do people say that I am?” . . .  And then He asked them, “Who do YOU say that I Am?”  And Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Who Are you?  How would you answer that question? 

Perhaps you would give a description based on what you’ve done for a career or believe you’ve accomplished in your life. Maybe you’d answer in regard to the relation you have with a significant other, “I am a husband or wife, father or mother, son or daughter”.  Maybe, especially during these times, you’d define yourself in regards to your race or culture.  Or perhaps you’d base your answer on what you’ve been led to believe by others, the opinions they’ve formed and the value, or lack thereof, that they’ve placed on who they think you are.  All of that may be partially accurate, but none of it defines who you really are!  It is a case of mistaken identity.

It’s fascinating that Jesus asks this question of the disciples concerning his own identity.  He recognizes that people had all sorts of erroneous ideas and opinions about him.  People defined Jesus in derogatory terms as the son of a carpenter, as having come from Nazareth (“can anything or anyone good come from Nazareth?” they asked), as a drunkard, as a friend of sinners, a womanizer, as a rebellious law-breaker, as a charlatan, a deceiver, even as being demon-possessed.  Obviously they were mistaken. 

And so is most of what others think about us, and even what we think of ourselves.  People will have all sorts of ideas and opinions about who we are.  Usually these are based on superficial judgments that they make perhaps because they have such an insecure identity for themselves that somehow it makes them feel better by pushing others down.  Somehow if we can reinforce stereotypes of individuals and even people groups we succeed not only at denigrating another, but even de-humanizing them.  On the one hand we must be on guard against making such judgments against others.  On the other when we find ourselves on the receiving end of such incidents of mistaken identity we can find comfort first of all in knowing that we are in good company with Jesus.  And secondly we must be secure in know who we  REALLY are!

Note that Jesus didn’t leave his identity in the hands, or minds or mouths of other people. He queried the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”  Asked another way, “Who am I, REALLY?”  And Peter said, “The Christ”. Well done, Peter.  That title is another way of saying that Jesus is the Great I Am, the Essence, the Alpha and Omega, the One in whom all things have come to be and through whom all things hold together.  More could be said about this, but I believe that in an indirect way Jesus is also prompting the disciples, and each of us, to recognize who WE really are!

So who are you, Really?  I can’t answer that question for you.  Each of us must answer for ourselves.  I will ask you this:  Is your identity based on accomplishments, accumulations, relations or appearances?  Do you define yourself based on superficial surface things that will one day pass away, or have you delved deeper into your Self to realize, recognize and rejoice in who you truly are?

It’s not easy to do so.  It takes work.  It’s a journey.  But it’s worthwhile.  I can say that from personal experience.  It might take a long time, a lot of searching, working, wondering and wandering, but in the end the discovery of one’s true self is of inestimable worth.  It is a pearl of great price.

So who are you?  Do you know?  And if not what will take for you to discover for the sake of your Self?