View Blog Entry

A deep growl reverberated from the terra cotta pipe extending under our driveway. But when dogs are coons, I get a little confused.

I was a middle school student living in Jackson, Tennessee. As a couple of neighborhood boys and I played in my front yard near the road, we suddenly heard a deep growl from a roadside pipe. I quickly called Mom, and we all began calling what we imagined was a dog stuck in the pipe. When the calling didn’t work, we tried food to entice this frightened little pup. What emerged wasn’t a pup though. We all stepped back when a raccoon strutted out.

According to Paul’s philosophy, no one should mistake a child of God. Before Christ, we were sinners under God’s condemnation. After receiving Christ’s forgiveness, He fills us with the light of His love. As a result, our growls should make it clear to everyone that we belong to the Lord. But some things can lead others to mistake our identity.

Mistaken identity will occur when we’re out of step with God’s plan. I was there during my teenage years. I was a pastor’s son who didn’t want his friends to think he was a goody-two-shoes. So, I lived as they did, and, sadly, most of them never knew I was a Christian. A holy lifestyle—one separated from evil—will always give away who we are, but a wicked one can disguise our identity.

Our identity can be hidden when we don’t use God’s gifts. All believers have one, and many have more. Using our gifts helps others see to whom we belong.

Others may also misidentify us when our focus is off. Just as I can’t see clearly when I remove my glasses, I also hide my identity when my priorities are out of focus. What’s important to us reflects who we are to others.

Falling in love with Jesus and relishing that relationship helps others identify who we are. Don’t let fear, rebellious living, or misplaced priorities hide your identity.