The Mentoring Manifesto, Vol. 69: Why Identity Matters
Why do we care so much about identity? Because we don’t know who we are, and we want someone with credibility to tell us.
Beginning in early childhood, our parents start to ascribe our identity. “See how smart she is? “Watch how fast he can run!” Or maybe you heard words ascribing different identities. “You can’t do anything right!”
As we get older, our identity is ascribed by outsiders: teachers, classmates, coaches, and friends. Then along comes marriage, kids, and career to ascribe different versions of our identity. “He’s a great dad.” “She’s a businesswoman.” Or “She’s been married before.” “Wasnt he just laid off again.”
But for Jesus-followers, our identity is ascribed to us when we accept God’s invitation to be adopted into His family. From that day forward, we’re children of the King of Kings! That’s our true identity, ascribed by Almighty God!
If we choose to live in our ultimate, true identity as beloved sons and daughters of the Living God, all the other identities ascribed to us by others don’t matter as much. Nothing anyone can say trumps our identity as an adopted child of God, who is our perfect Father.
Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He forgives us, listens to our prayers, guides our hearts, and never leaves us. That’s one of the most important, and maybe the most important, messages we can impart to our mentees. The resources below with help you and your mentees believe and live into the identity ascribed to you by your Heavenly Father.
IDENTITY: A FIVE-DAY READING PLAN
THE FIRST STEP IN KNOWING WHO YOU ARE
Create safe environments where women can bring life's deepest questions.
Known Collective provides everything you need to implement a mentoring process to help women leave comparison at the door and enter a space where they can be real and engage in conversations that matter.
