Do You Know Who You Really Are?

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light.

"I'm Carynnie", our three year old announces to anyone she meets. We named her Carynne (pronounced Kuh-Rin) with the intention of calling her Rynne or Rynnie. She obviously did not receive the memo because as soon as she could talk, she derived her own name. No amount of correcting or cajoling will change her mind because she is certain of who she is.

This morning, I am reading Acts 7:22-43. Stephen begins his sermon with a Jewish history lesson. He is building up a case for the long-awaited Messiah's arrival one character at a time. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph (Verses 2-19) start the line-up and then we are introduced to Moses. Moses is indisputably one of the greatest leaders in history. Stephen describes him as "powerful in speech and action" (Verse 22). This is a sharp contrast to how Moses characterized himself. Exodus 3-4:17 gives the account of God calling Moses to leadership out of the fiery bush. Moses provides a litany of excuses why he is not the guy for this job. "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue. (Exodus 4:10)"

God declared Moses to be powerful in speech while Moses portrayed himself as slow of speech and tongue. Those are two starkly different pictures. Do I know who God really created me to be? Do I acknowledge the gifts he has given me and actively pursue using them for His glory? Moses went so far as to twist God's gifts into deficiencies. Honestly, I tend to deflect heart-felt encouragement from others concerning the gifts God has given me. At times, this is out of a genuine humility and desire for God alone to receive the glory. At other times though, this is because I am fearful and don't want to take that next step God has mapped out for me. Staying where I am seems a much smoother road than chartering the rocky terrain that awaits.

Shannon, if you knew who you really were and could see yourself from My perfect perspective, you would never second-guess your gifts. Jesus stirs my heart today towards confidence. He wants me to be totally confident in what He calls me to each day and confident in Him that He's already equipped me to traverse that terrain. Shannon, do you really know who you are? You are the daughter of the Most High, a princess chosen by the King of the Kings and my very own sister. Today, Precious Jesus, I will choose to confidently see myself through Your eyes and acknowlege the gifts you've graciously granted.