The Perception of Identity
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| The power the perception of identity can have is staggering |
All it took was for a leader to rise out of obscurity with a singular, radical theory on identity and to apply that view to an entire nation. Once it was fed to the masses, what ensued was a global war that changed human history as well as the history of our planet.
The Rwandan genocide came about as a result of the selfsame revision. All it took was for one of two coexisting, formerly harmonious tribes to begin reviewing their identity ethnically. Comparisons arose and the differences created by this new perception went public.
As a result, the entire nation was engulfed in a civil war that spiraled ethnic conflict in Africa into historic proportions. The redefinition was so far reaching that those who had lived peacefully for decades abruptly found themselves unable to recognize their fellow countrymen.
As a result, the entire nation was engulfed in a civil war that spiraled ethnic conflict in Africa into historic proportions. The redefinition was so far reaching that those who had lived peacefully for decades abruptly found themselves unable to recognize their fellow countrymen.
The list goes on. It doesn't really matter whether we are discussing the American civil war or the Middle East crisis. In nearly every nation or human community with a social past, as well as in major world events, we find the same principle at work. A shift in the perception of identity can lead to either widespread fortune or untold devastation. The power that the perception of identity can have over nations and even entire continents is staggering. Perception and lifestyle are related like conjoined twins. We cannot live apart from how we think. Many leaders have recognized this and have sought to invest their lives in dealing with this aspect of social consciousness.
They have discovered however, that shaping perception and identity, or even the perception of identity, whether on an individual, national or global level, is not something that can be achieved overnight. As we will discover in the pages that follow, there are certain steps which have to be taken in order to realize such a change and for that change to be true. To identify something is to disclose its nature, properties and characteristics. When something has been identified, its true nature is revealed. Whenever you identify something, you make it stand out in relation to everything else, including whatever may resemble it in appearance or form. Identification therefore is key in the process of real change. It is not possible to transform the destiny of something before properly settling this issue.
To give something an identity is to set it apart for a future course of action. When we begin to embark on an undertaking, there are facts we must be clear about. Foremost, is the nature of the issue we are addressing actual or imaginary? Is it based on reality or are we just dealing with collective opinions? In other words, is our perception reflecting the real state of affairs, or have we been influenced by what is around us? It is already common knowledge that the manner in which we view a situation directly influences our actions and our reactions. The same applies to the persons we are involved with in our lives. The way we handle ourselves and each other in the matters of daily living are affected enormously by our inner scope of vision. By the same token, it can be understood why we run into problems when we try to change things that we have not taken time to rightly identify.
We live at a time where there has been a lot of emphasis on position. For example, believers are constantly reminded to affirm their position by quoting many references concerning their rights and privileges as born-again, spirit-filled heirs of the Kingdom. Often, the idea is that the more often we confess it, the more real it becomes, so we can claim our way into a new identity. A similar situation we could examine here is the account of the Jews in the New Testament. One does not have to read far in the Gospels to find discover how obsessed they were with their perception of themselves as the children of Abraham. This was the identity they held on to and they felt it set them apart from all other races on earth.
However, both John the Baptist and Jesus confronted this mentality and exposed the deception behind it. I believe because of the refining that John had gone through, he never wasted his words. He was not a preacher who rambled on with lectures. His messages were blunt and simply went straight to the point. He basically told the Jews they should not pride themselves as the offspring of Abraham since God could make descendants of Abraham out of stones. He challenged them instead to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:5-10). Genuine change in one's heart and life out of turning away from sin is a more relevant basis of identity than any position or title we may claim to have. Jesus echoed the same truth in John 8 where the Jews almost stoned Him for claiming He preexisted Abraham. He challenged them that their behavior actually proved that they were not really the children of Abraham at all.
In the medical field, a wrong diagnosis can mean fatal results. This is why responsible practitioners strive to ensure that the tests they administer are thorough enough to identify the true nature of the underlying issue. Two patients can exhibit exactly the same outward symptoms yet be suffering from completely different conditions. The more effective the tests, the greater the chances that the patient will receive the right diagnosis. However, each party has his or her role to play. The doctor has to administer the right tests and the patient has to be willing and available to go through each stage of the test.
We live at a time where there has been a lot of emphasis on position. For example, believers are constantly reminded to affirm their position by quoting many references concerning their rights and privileges as born-again, spirit-filled heirs of the Kingdom. Often, the idea is that the more often we confess it, the more real it becomes, so we can claim our way into a new identity. A similar situation we could examine here is the account of the Jews in the New Testament. One does not have to read far in the Gospels to find discover how obsessed they were with their perception of themselves as the children of Abraham. This was the identity they held on to and they felt it set them apart from all other races on earth.
However, both John the Baptist and Jesus confronted this mentality and exposed the deception behind it. I believe because of the refining that John had gone through, he never wasted his words. He was not a preacher who rambled on with lectures. His messages were blunt and simply went straight to the point. He basically told the Jews they should not pride themselves as the offspring of Abraham since God could make descendants of Abraham out of stones. He challenged them instead to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:5-10). Genuine change in one's heart and life out of turning away from sin is a more relevant basis of identity than any position or title we may claim to have. Jesus echoed the same truth in John 8 where the Jews almost stoned Him for claiming He preexisted Abraham. He challenged them that their behavior actually proved that they were not really the children of Abraham at all.
In the medical field, a wrong diagnosis can mean fatal results. This is why responsible practitioners strive to ensure that the tests they administer are thorough enough to identify the true nature of the underlying issue. Two patients can exhibit exactly the same outward symptoms yet be suffering from completely different conditions. The more effective the tests, the greater the chances that the patient will receive the right diagnosis. However, each party has his or her role to play. The doctor has to administer the right tests and the patient has to be willing and available to go through each stage of the test.
There is much that can be said about the tests or trials each of us goes through in life, which though unpleasant, are really meant for our own good. Observing how we react to these can help us understand where we are in terms of perception and the nature of identity we are walking in. You may be going through a tough trial right now. Don't sink into despair, but rather seize the opportunity for what it is. A trial has the potential of revealing a lot about you because it has a way of stripping off the covers that conceal what you really are. Learn all you can from it including the right diagnosis concerning your inner life. The scriptures give us a summary of this in James 1:2-4:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
However, the scriptures also challenge us to test ourselves. Note that this is not addressed to the unsaved person, but to the believer. If fact, it was given to a charismatic church that was walking in the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit. The bottom line is a wrong conclusion about who we are can lead to us living a lie, even as those who have been saved. And there will not always be time to correct this. In fact, this subject is so important to the One who created us that He has appointed a day where each of us will undergo the ultimate evaluation (Acts 17:31). Before His judgment seat, everything about us, how we have lived our lives on earth, what we did with time and opportunities, as well as what we achieved during our lifetime, will pass through this final evaluation called the judgment.
Fortunately, we do not have to wait until this event takes place to discover whether we have been living in deception or walking in the truth. His grace has given us time during which we can judge ourselves. If we judge ourselves, we will not be judged (1 Corinthians 11:31). He has not abandoned us to do any of this on our own strength or using our own resources, but He has given us His Spirit who is here to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). Therefore, this is the time my friend, to strip ourselves of all what may have been leading us astray and allow His searching light to expose the depths of who we really are.
