Remember Who You Are

At some point in my life, I decided to collect hats. They were mostly ball caps but not all. When I was younger, it was unusual to see me not wearing one. My parents constantly told me not to wear them in the house. Today, I still have a small collection of ball caps. I threw over 200 of my hats away as a gift to my wife years ago. She did not ask me to get rid of them, but I knew she was not a fan. Unlike some collections that people have for viewing pleasure only, I wore my hat. Why possess something if you never intend to use it? 

Life never stops. It changes from time to time. It causes us to wear different hats, sort of speak. There are times when the hat I wear is one of a husband. At other times, I wear the hat of Dad. In the last couple of years, my hat has changed to G-pop. That is what my grandchildren call me. I also wear hats as an employee, friend, coworker, teacher, and writer, and the list continues. 

The problem with wearing so many hats is we forget who we are. We get lost in the things we do but forget who we are.

Life is a series of forgetting and remembering. Countless times I forget something when I can do it yet remember it when I am not home to do it. The same is true of who we are. I am not just a dad. I am so much more. I just have to remember I am also a husband and all of the things listed above and more.

There are many troubles we can avoid if we remember who we are. So many things God provides to us solely on who are. We remember our roles, but we forget who we are. We are children of God. That makes me a son and not just any son. I am the son of my Father. Sometimes we think of ourselves as servants of God, like the oldest son in the story of the prodigal son. We think that who we are does nothing for us but creates responsibilities. However, the oldest son forgot that he was the son. Everything the father had was his. He had access to his inheritance even while his father was alive. He just never asked his father any of it.

We must remember who we are. You may even need to remind yourself several times a day that you are the son/daughter of your Father. All that he has is yours. We seem to forget our identity by remembering the various hats we wear in life. Remind yourself often. I am the son/daughter of my Father. He made me in his image. I am beautiful and perfect, and he created me to be loved.

Everyone forgets who he or she is from time to time. We need to stop forgetting to remember. Life will throw curve balls at you. Things that make it easy to forget your identity abound.  Do not allow stress, shame, grief, or fear to cause havoc in your life. However, if they do, all you have to do is remember. I am the son/daughter of my Father. He holds no grudges. He is a forgiving Father. He welcomes me with open arms and love. He wants to be in our presence just as he desires for us to enjoy his presence.

Sometimes we judge ourselves unworthy of being a son, like the youngest son in the parable of the prodigal son. He thought he was unworthy to be a son. He believed he should be treated like a slave when he returned. However, like him, the truth is that we are the sons/daughters of the Father. The youngest son believed a lie. We give lies about our identity power when we judge ourselves as powerless or weak or hold onto doubts. Forget your self-judgments. Remember who you are.