IDENTITY
By Iris Niven
If you tune into the BBC programme ‘Who Do You Think you Are?’ you will embark with the participants upon a roller-coaster of emotions as their stories unfold and secrets are revealed. There will be euphoria and pride over achievements gained against the odds and for brave deeds done in times of conflict and danger.
There will be sorrow for families split by tragedy and loss, and sympathy for those who endured injury and hardship.
At the summing up, the guest will try to end on a positive note, highlighting those qualities in their ancestors that played a key role in the family line. Ultimately their own sense of self esteem may have been boosted or dented by the revelations of family history.
Yet sadly there is a further element nowadays to retaining self-esteem. The corrosive effect of social media leaves us vulnerable to society’s fluctuating and often flawed opinions. How do we make reliable assessments of true value?
The story is told of an auction sale already underway, when an old violin was held aloft for bidding to begin. Yet prospective buyers were reluctant to make an offer, regarding such a purchase as worthless. Just then, an elderly gent arose from his seat and taking the bow across the violin strings, he began to play. The melody was pure and sweet, the tone mellow and enchantingly beautiful. When the last notes faded, there was a stunned silence in the room. The auctioneer looked eagerly around.
“Now what am I bid for the old violin? A thousand dollars – and who’ll make it two. Two thousand – and who’ll make it three?”
As the gavel went down a cheer arose, but some said, “How can this be? It’s worth has been transformed!”
But you see, it was the touch of the Master’s hand.
So it is with many a life, storm-tossed by adverse circumstances, or humiliated and made to feel insignificant by criticism and insult.
But who does GOD say we can be?
When God called Moses to be a great leader, He found a man plagued by self doubt. When God called Mary to be the mother of Jesus, the Anointed One, He found a young maiden unschooled in the corrupt ways of the world. When Jesus called the disciples, He gathered a local group without political authority. When God called Paul to plant and teach the new churches, He transformed and enabled him. Now God calls us to be established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1 v21-22) bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6 v 19-20) adopted as His child (Ephesians 1 v 5) redeemed and forgiven (Colossians 1 v 14) and free from condemnation (Romans 8 v 1-2)
What higher value could anyone desire?