Identity Theft?

By MR, Age 14

The word identity is used in many different ways, but when you apply it to a person, its most essential definition is: "the distinguishing character or personality of an individual." A distinctive personality is what every teenager strives to find. "Coming into their own" or "discovering who they really are" have become common ways to define the search for an identity that a young person undergoes. Everyone is unique with indivdual ambitions, weaknesses, hopes and plans. Each of these things plays into how our ultimate identity is shaped.

In our world, there are so many places for a teenage girl to find her identity. The friends she has, the boys who like her, the clothes she wears, the music she listens to, the movies and television she watches, the places she goes, the size she wears, the way she looks, the list goes on and on. For the typical teenager, it isn't surprising if these things consume them and become their identity.

But for a truly devoted Christian girl, you begin to see a different kind of list, because she knows that she must find her identity in higher things. Phillipians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Thus a Christian girl begins to form her identity in Christ, basing her distinguishing character and personality on her Savior.

This seems to be a flawless plan, a Christian girl finds her identity in Christ and begins to apply the Phillipians verse to every aspect of her life, living to be nearly perfect, right? Wrong. Remember the other things like music, boys, movies and fashion that consume the average teenage girl? These things still exist in a very real way for every Christian teenage girl. It may appear to be easy to keep verses like Ephesians 4:9 "for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true" in mind, but it is difficult when you are the only girl who doesn't know the obscene rap song that some are singing in the hallways, or the horror movie that others are recapping at the lunch table.

All Americans are familiar with identity theft. A criminal steals your social security number and some other basic information, thus enabling him to make purchases and take out loans all in your name, essentially becoming you. Identity theft ruins people's lives. They are forced to deal with the perpetrators' mischarges to their accounts if and until the criminal is caught.

Satan is commiting identity theft all over the world among teenage girls today. He convinces them that they are worthless, that they will only find their identity in temporary and meaningless things like music and fashion and fading, earthly beauty. Then their identities are ruined while they deal with the petty things. The only thing that can redeem them is Jesus. He "catches the criminal" so to speak, and returns us our rightful identity. Only this time, we have something new to add to our identity: Christ.

This is where our identity in Christ intially takes root. But there are footfalls and stumbling blocks all along the way. This is what the Christian girl deals with everyday. The only reassurance is that she has the Holy Spirit to guide her. The Christian girl has the insight and realization that her identity lies in Christ and His accomplishments and not her own. Ephesians 5:1 says, "Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." This true righteousness and holiness is where we ultimately find our true identity does not lie in the temporary trappings of this world, but rather something that is infinitely more meaningful and eternal.

I end with a quote from the website onetruth:

"Our focus as a society feeds on beauty. It has become a goal and an obsession. As girls, we entangle ourselves in the latest fashion trends and the smallest sizes. However, deep down, what we really want is to be loved. We have bought into the lie that looking beautiful will make us happier and bring us fulfilling love. But what we really need is the unconditional love of Jesus. He is the one who makes us beautiful, the one who paid the price for our true beauty. And we need to see ourselves as He sees us. It is not about what we do or how we look, but who we are. And we are His beloved."