What Is My Identity? - For A Parent's Heart

I've had a lot of questions about my identity since becoming a parent. Do I identify as a stay at home mom? Do I hold onto my identity from my job as an occupational therapist? Do my husband and I identify according to our household income? Is my identity defined by my baby using clothe diapers and nursing?  Am I a "dance mom" because my daughters are in a dance class?

 What does the Bible say about my identity? 

Galatians 3:26-28 WTJ*

As a matter of fact, all of you are sons of God through the believing in Christ Jesus. In fact, as many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is in you neither Judean nor Greek. There is in you neither servant nor freeman. There is in you neither male nor female. In fact, you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I am a child of God. 

We are one in Christ.

Being a child of God is a bigger identity than any parenting category I might fit in. Even though the difference between male or female and servant or free is huge, we are all one in Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 WTJ*

Moreover, even as the body is one and has many members and all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. In fact, we were all baptized by one spirit into one body (whether we were Judeans or Greeks, whether we were slaves or free people), and we were all given to drink one spirit....Now you are the body of Christ and individually members

I am a part of the body of Christ.

I enjoy chatting and comparing ideas with a mom that does things similar to me, but I have a bigger purpose and belonging in being part of the body of Christ.

Colossians 2:12-13 WTJ*

You were buried with him in baptism, by which you were also raised with him through the believing pertaining to the working of God Who raised him from the dead. Yes you, who were dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made alive together with him and forgave us all the trespasses.

I was raised together with Christ.

I was made alive with Christ.

I am forgiven.

Romans 6:4-5 WTJ*

Thus we were buried with him by baptism into death so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. So if we have become identified with him in the likeness of his death, then we shall also certainly be in the likeness of his resurrection,

I am identified with Christ in his death and in his resurrection.

I can walk in newness of life.

Colossians 3:10-11 WTJ*

"and clothing yourselves with the new man, which is renewed in knowledge in accordance with the image of Him Who created it, where there does not exist Greek and Judean, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, servant, free person, but where Christ is all things and in all people."

I can clothe myself in the new man.

In the new man there aren't different groups, but Christ is all things in all people. Colossians 3 continues to talk about putting on the new man. In this context Colossians 3:18-21 talks about how to handle our rolls of wives, husbands, children, and fathers. 

 

As a Christian I can walk in that new, spiritual life and put on the new man. As a mom I have so much to offer my children. 

2 Peter 3:18 WTJ**

Instead, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and unto the day of the age. Amen.

As I grow in the knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I can also grow in knowing who I am.

Further reading in the Bible: Colossians 2, 3, 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 6, Ephesians 4, 5, 6

Related Posts:
Bible Verses For A Parent's Heart in 2015
Grow In Grace


*Working Translation: A Journey Through Acts and Epistles, Copyright © 2006 by Walter J. Cummins. All rights reserved.

**Working Translation: A Journey Through Acts and Epistles Volume 2, Copyright © 2013 by Walter J. Cummins. All rights reserved.

©Brigette Hill, 2015