2 - What Defines Me?

In a society full of stereotypes, it is easy to slip into different categories and cliques of culture. These cliques allow us to gain a sense of belonging, of community, of "meaning."

enlightened artist - young professional - classic prep - rebellious goth - progressive liberal - traditional conservative - man's man outdoorsman - sports nut - environmentally conscious - social activist - travel connoisseur

Each one of these labels serve to bring about a notion of identity in people. Sometimes it's interesting to simply sit back and listen to how people describe themselves and observe how they try to align themselves with a certain niche of culture.

As I look around different blogs, many of them written by gay or bi individuals, I notice that much of the homosexual society does the same. There is such a sense of identity in the gay culture, suggesting that a homosexual orientation is the defining core of any individual. Then I see homosexuals that are Christians struggling so passionately with the question of whether God and the Christian faith are forcing them to be reject who they are because of the faith's standards on sexual behavior.

Reflecting on all of this, I asked myself this question: what defines me? Do I define myself through the labels of 21 year old/ 6'/ 165lb/ athletic/ dark / JCrew wearing / Office watching / gay guy? How do I acquire my identity? To what characteristics do I look to when defining myself? My answer, then, has to be to cast away everything. Sure, I am 6' with dark skin. Sure, I watch The Office (often). Sure, I am sexually attracted to men. But while these things are certainly a part of me, none of them define me.

My definition, since accepting Jesus Christ as my savior and submitting to Him as my Lord, comes from God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" The Lord, who created everyone with unique talents, gifts, and abilities, has defined who I am. Therefore, if I truly believe that the Lord is who defines me, then everything else pales in comparison as I decide what my lifestyle should be. There is less of a dispute within me of whether to be an 24/7 poker player -- if the Lord is my definition and my core value, then I can more peacefully release my desire to define myself as a poker player.

I think the same can be truly said about homosexuality...so many people put their sexual orientation at the pinnacle of "who they are." They suggest that it is the most fundamental part of their being. While I understand that certainly emotional and sexual attraction is a huge part of who I am - it doesn't compare to the definition that Jesus Christ gives me. I cannot choose my sexual orientation over God - it simply can't happen. Otherwise, I am giving less to the Lord than what He deserves: my everything.

This post isn't meant to be something that forces a belief of how people should live. Rather, it is simply reflecting on the fact that so much distraction in life can lead us to define ourselves by other things than our faith, when in reality our faith is the most crucial keystone of who we are as human beings. Just some thoughts to mull over...