WHO AM I?
(Psalm 139, I Peter 2:9)
Every child, at some time asks: "who am I?"
Think of a specific child, maybe who asked you
that question. Write down your answer.
Who first told you who you were?
Who first said: "you are a good for nothing."
"you can’t do anything right," or
"you will never amount to anything."
Was it your parents when they scolded you for misbehaving?
Was it a teacher, frustrated with your lack of improvement?
In preparation for College, I was in an intensive plan,
doing nine months of classes in seven months.
This was because, in Latin America the school year runs from
January through October. It also meant taking extra classes
during vacation. I made the mistake of taking a biology
course by correspondence. This was before classes on the
Internet were available. Trying to learn, understand and apply
biology, on my own was difficult. I had no lab for dissecting of
frogs etc. Being on my own was a challenge. My grades were poor.
I didn’t appreciate using vacation time for studying.
I was not well motivated. I decided not to finish the class.
That coming January the Vice Principal of my High School,
called me into the office and said:
"Glen, you are a quitter and will never graduate."
When I received my Doctorate; one summer, while visiting
my parents in Guatemala, I went back to my school and
showed the Vice Principal my College, Seminary and
Doctorate diplomas. I said: "And you told me I would never
graduate." He replied: "I was simply trying to motivate you."
At that time, his statement did not motivate me. In fact, I felt like a failure.
I guess in retrospect, it was a motivation.
I wasn’t going to be told who I was by a vice principal.
In some schools, teachers can be ridged and more harmful than
encouraging to a student who doesn’t do exactly as the teacher
wants. Individuality may be lost. In her first year of teaching,
my wife, Jeannie, had the opportunity of starting two
departments: Spanish and Art. In her art class, she was trying to
teach students to draw their own hand, free style, without
looking at their paper. As she walked around the class she
picked an example of what was good art and showed it to the
class. The student was a big, husky athlete who’s father was a
Sheriff. He was amazed that his drawing had been chosen.
Jeannie selected his piece because it was good. The benefit
was he was so appreciative that a teacher had affirmed him,
Jeannie knew if anyone would try harming her, this big
and strong student would defend her.
Was it a boss who asked for you to do a task over again
and "do it right this time!" Was it one of your children who
judged you as parentally inadequate?
At some time all of us have been told "you’re under-achieving,
under-giving, un-loving or un-caring. You’re not quite what the
Creator had in mind when you were made in God’s Image."
O Lord, you have searched me and known me;
You created my inmost being, you knit me together ...
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139)
All we, like sheep, have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6)
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
St. Bernard wrote: "Every corner of my heart is a cage of
unclean birds." We all have learned well the litany of self-
condemnation, taught by the a world which says:
"you don’t live up to expectations or potential."
In other words, you are no good.
The Good News. written by Peter and demonstrated in baptism
is: "You were called out of darkness into God’s
marvelous light. Once you were not a people,
now you are the people God." (I Peter 2:10)
Who tells you who you are?
You are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling
of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s
instruments to do his work and speak for him... (I Peter 2:9)
In baptism we are marked and sealed as Children of God and
given the privilege of sharing in Christ’s offices of priest,
prophet and king. Gentiles are admitted to status of Israel,
called as God’s holy people.
Baptism is the start of a journey towards commissioning.
As Christians we are commissioned to do God’s work
speaking of the difference God has made in our lives.
Jesus said: You are the light of the world. Let your light shine ...
Peter wrote Declare the wonderful deeds of the one who called
you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
"Priesthood of all believers." This is who you are!
Who told you who you were?
Your parents, your children, your nation, your job,
your friends, your school, your bank account?
If you allow others to tell you who you are,
they will be happy to do so. But that is dangerous.
Through baptism, a Christian first and finally learns who
she or he is. It is a sacrament of Identity. Baptism asserts
rather than argues, it proclaims rather than explains, and
it involves rather than describes. When in desperation you
ask: "Who in God’s name, am I?"
Each time we witness the sacrament of baptism it reminds
us of the water running down our head and hearing:
"I baptize you in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ..."
"You are in, God’s name, royalty, God’s own, claimed and
ordained for God’s glorious and joyful work.
Therefore you had better get with it.
Unfortunately, baptism has become divisive, when,
the mode and purpose of baptism is discussed. "Unless one is baptized, one will never enter into God’s presence. Some see it as parents dedicating their child to God. Others say it is just a rite that has no major significance.
If these are true, why would Jesus have commanded us to
us to do something so utterly infective as baptism?
The problem has been we misplaced the action of baptism.
God is the initiator and primary actor. We are the
responders. God says:
"you are my child, I have chosen you, you are royalty,
you are commissioned, you are loved!"
The key is that the commission comes after the indicative:
You Are ...
Jesus said to his disciples: You did not chose me
but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and
bear fruit and that your fruit should abide. (John 15:16)
When a parent says: "Make something of yourself."
implied is that the child is not worth much as she or he is.
Using God’s model, parents would affirm their love for
their child, believe in their child and would be with their
child as s/he makes plans for the future. The child’s
behavior, hopefully, would arise from a desire of being
who she or he is rather than more than fear of what
she or he might become.
Baptism does not say: "You can be God’s own if you do or
believe this." Baptism says: You are God’s own
When Charles III of England was crowned King, the coronation did not make him royalty, he already was. When the crown was placed on his head by the Archbishop of Canterbury, he was confirming who Charles III was, the next in line of a royal family.
Peter, draws on two sources: Exodus 19:5-6, Isaiah 43:21
for his text. God said to the liberated slaves, "you are no
longer slaves. You are chosen, royalty, priests and my
instruments." Those titles now apply to the New Israel,
those who follow Jesus Christ. (You and Me.)
There is a Baptismal font (See Above) in the Belmont Abbey College,
North Carolina, made from a huge stone. It was a stone
many had rejected as worthless or painful as a font.
For on that very stone, a little over a hundred years ago,
black slaves stood to be sold to the highest bidder.
Today, that stone has been hollowed out and serves
Belmont Abbey as its baptismal font. An inscription on the
font reads: "On this stone men were sold into slavery.
From this stone men are now baptized into freedom.
This is an illustration of : The stone the builders rejected
(Jesus of Nazareth) has become the capstone. (I Peter 2:8).
Every child, at some time asks: "who am I?"
Think of a specific child, maybe who asked you
that question. Write down your answer.
Who first told you who you were?
Who first said: "you are a good for nothing."
"you can’t do anything right," or
"you will never amount to anything."
Was it your parents when they scolded you for misbehaving?
Was it a teacher, frustrated with your lack of improvement?
In preparation for College, I was in an intensive plan,
doing nine months of classes in seven months.
This was because, in Latin America the school year runs from
January through October. It also meant taking extra classes
during vacation. I made the mistake of taking a biology
course by correspondence. This was before classes on the
Internet were available. Trying to learn, understand and apply
biology, on my own was difficult. I had no lab for dissecting of
frogs etc. Being on my own was a challenge. My grades were poor.
I didn’t appreciate using vacation time for studying.
I was not well motivated. I decided not to finish the class.
That coming January the Vice Principal of my High School,
called me into the office and said:
"Glen, you are a quitter and will never graduate."
When I received my Doctorate; one summer, while visiting
my parents in Guatemala, I went back to my school and
showed the Vice Principal my College, Seminary and
Doctorate diplomas. I said: "And you told me I would never
graduate." He replied: "I was simply trying to motivate you."
At that time, his statement did not motivate me. In fact, I felt like a failure.
I guess in retrospect, it was a motivation.
I wasn’t going to be told who I was by a vice principal.
In some schools, teachers can be ridged and more harmful than
encouraging to a student who doesn’t do exactly as the teacher
wants. Individuality may be lost. In her first year of teaching,
my wife, Jeannie, had the opportunity of starting two
departments: Spanish and Art. In her art class, she was trying to
teach students to draw their own hand, free style, without
looking at their paper. As she walked around the class she
picked an example of what was good art and showed it to the
class. The student was a big, husky athlete who’s father was a
Sheriff. He was amazed that his drawing had been chosen.
Jeannie selected his piece because it was good. The benefit
was he was so appreciative that a teacher had affirmed him,
Jeannie knew if anyone would try harming her, this big
and strong student would defend her.
Was it a boss who asked for you to do a task over again
and "do it right this time!" Was it one of your children who
judged you as parentally inadequate?
At some time all of us have been told "you’re under-achieving,
under-giving, un-loving or un-caring. You’re not quite what the
Creator had in mind when you were made in God’s Image."
O Lord, you have searched me and known me;
You created my inmost being, you knit me together ...
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139)
All we, like sheep, have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6)
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
St. Bernard wrote: "Every corner of my heart is a cage of
unclean birds." We all have learned well the litany of self-
condemnation, taught by the a world which says:
"you don’t live up to expectations or potential."
In other words, you are no good.
The Good News. written by Peter and demonstrated in baptism
is: "You were called out of darkness into God’s
marvelous light. Once you were not a people,
now you are the people God." (I Peter 2:10)
Who tells you who you are?
You are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling
of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s
instruments to do his work and speak for him... (I Peter 2:9)
In baptism we are marked and sealed as Children of God and
given the privilege of sharing in Christ’s offices of priest,
prophet and king. Gentiles are admitted to status of Israel,
called as God’s holy people.
Baptism is the start of a journey towards commissioning.
As Christians we are commissioned to do God’s work
speaking of the difference God has made in our lives.
Jesus said: You are the light of the world. Let your light shine ...
Peter wrote Declare the wonderful deeds of the one who called
you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
"Priesthood of all believers." This is who you are!
Who told you who you were?
Your parents, your children, your nation, your job,
your friends, your school, your bank account?
If you allow others to tell you who you are,
they will be happy to do so. But that is dangerous.
Through baptism, a Christian first and finally learns who
she or he is. It is a sacrament of Identity. Baptism asserts
rather than argues, it proclaims rather than explains, and
it involves rather than describes. When in desperation you
ask: "Who in God’s name, am I?"
Each time we witness the sacrament of baptism it reminds
us of the water running down our head and hearing:
"I baptize you in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ..."
"You are in, God’s name, royalty, God’s own, claimed and
ordained for God’s glorious and joyful work.
Therefore you had better get with it.
Unfortunately, baptism has become divisive, when,
the mode and purpose of baptism is discussed. "Unless one is baptized, one will never enter into God’s presence. Some see it as parents dedicating their child to God. Others say it is just a rite that has no major significance.
If these are true, why would Jesus have commanded us to
us to do something so utterly infective as baptism?
The problem has been we misplaced the action of baptism.
God is the initiator and primary actor. We are the
responders. God says:
"you are my child, I have chosen you, you are royalty,
you are commissioned, you are loved!"
The key is that the commission comes after the indicative:
You Are ...
Jesus said to his disciples: You did not chose me
but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and
bear fruit and that your fruit should abide. (John 15:16)
When a parent says: "Make something of yourself."
implied is that the child is not worth much as she or he is.
Using God’s model, parents would affirm their love for
their child, believe in their child and would be with their
child as s/he makes plans for the future. The child’s
behavior, hopefully, would arise from a desire of being
who she or he is rather than more than fear of what
she or he might become.
Baptism does not say: "You can be God’s own if you do or
believe this." Baptism says: You are God’s own
When Charles III of England was crowned King, the coronation did not make him royalty, he already was. When the crown was placed on his head by the Archbishop of Canterbury, he was confirming who Charles III was, the next in line of a royal family.
Peter, draws on two sources: Exodus 19:5-6, Isaiah 43:21
for his text. God said to the liberated slaves, "you are no
longer slaves. You are chosen, royalty, priests and my
instruments." Those titles now apply to the New Israel,
those who follow Jesus Christ. (You and Me.)
There is a Baptismal font (See Above) in the Belmont Abbey College,
North Carolina, made from a huge stone. It was a stone
many had rejected as worthless or painful as a font.
For on that very stone, a little over a hundred years ago,
black slaves stood to be sold to the highest bidder.
Today, that stone has been hollowed out and serves
Belmont Abbey as its baptismal font. An inscription on the
font reads: "On this stone men were sold into slavery.
From this stone men are now baptized into freedom.
This is an illustration of : The stone the builders rejected
(Jesus of Nazareth) has become the capstone. (I Peter 2:8).
One of my emails: cpconthevine's meaning is:
"Communicating the Power to Change"
through Jesus who said: I AM the VINE ...
The one who remains in me will bear much fruit.
12 years ago, I had the opportunity of serving the
American Church in Paris, as the Interim Associate Pastor.
They had just refurbished a baptismal font and placed in the
Narthex, entry into the sanctuary, rather than in the front,
as a reminder of each of their own baptisms and how a
pastor placed water on their head or dipped under the
water saying: "I baptize you in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Baptism says: This person is God’s chosen, royalty
"baptize them in affirmation of that identity."
A ministry with youth and children called LOGOS:
focuses on "Treating all children and youth as royalty
for they are children of God, prince and princes".
Not all royalty behaves appropriately. Some think that
because they are royalty, (Prince Harry and Prince Andrew and women),
they don’t always follow the rules, protocol or ethics.
That doesn’t make them any less royal. So too with us,
we don’t always live the way Jesus called us to live:
"Loving and serving one another, allowing the light of
Christ to sine through us." That does not mean we are not
God’s Children, God’s Chosen, God’s Priests.
A child caught misbehaving when told by his father that he
would face punishment, drew himself up to his full four-
feet height and proudly said:.
"You can’t touch me, I’m baptized"
There, was a young man who knew who he was.
He needed to learn that royalty carries responsibility.
One day at a place called Calvary, we who were nobodies,
became somebodies. Those who where no people became
God’s people. We became royalty.
Ricardo Motivan, Actor and Television personality died
eleven years ago. At the peak of his career, he suffered a
severe fall from a horse. The result was excruciating pain:
"felt like broken class," pain was so unbearable that it
halted his career. He asked:
"Who in God’s name Am I?"
After much struggle and reflection he concluded:
"I was conceived in love
and
"knit together in my mother’s womb."
through Jesus who said: I AM the VINE ...
The one who remains in me will bear much fruit.
12 years ago, I had the opportunity of serving the
American Church in Paris, as the Interim Associate Pastor.
They had just refurbished a baptismal font and placed in the
Narthex, entry into the sanctuary, rather than in the front,
as a reminder of each of their own baptisms and how a
pastor placed water on their head or dipped under the
water saying: "I baptize you in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Baptism says: This person is God’s chosen, royalty
"baptize them in affirmation of that identity."
A ministry with youth and children called LOGOS:
focuses on "Treating all children and youth as royalty
for they are children of God, prince and princes".
Not all royalty behaves appropriately. Some think that
because they are royalty, (Prince Harry and Prince Andrew and women),
they don’t always follow the rules, protocol or ethics.
That doesn’t make them any less royal. So too with us,
we don’t always live the way Jesus called us to live:
"Loving and serving one another, allowing the light of
Christ to sine through us." That does not mean we are not
God’s Children, God’s Chosen, God’s Priests.
A child caught misbehaving when told by his father that he
would face punishment, drew himself up to his full four-
feet height and proudly said:.
"You can’t touch me, I’m baptized"
There, was a young man who knew who he was.
He needed to learn that royalty carries responsibility.
One day at a place called Calvary, we who were nobodies,
became somebodies. Those who where no people became
God’s people. We became royalty.
Ricardo Motivan, Actor and Television personality died
eleven years ago. At the peak of his career, he suffered a
severe fall from a horse. The result was excruciating pain:
"felt like broken class," pain was so unbearable that it
halted his career. He asked:
"Who in God’s name Am I?"
After much struggle and reflection he concluded:
"I was conceived in love
and
"knit together in my mother’s womb."
Jesus said: ( Matthew 10:30)
Even the hairs on your head are numbered
So don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters & Papers From Prison:*
Who Am I?
"Who am I? They often tell me when I would step from my cell’s
confinement calmly, cheerfully, firmly,
like a squire from his country-house.
Who am I? They often tell me, those who talk to my warders
freely and friendly and clearly, as though it were mine to
command. Who am I? They also tell me.
I would bear the days of misfortune
equally, smilingly, proudly, like one accustomed to win.
Am I then really all that which other men tell of?
Or am I only what I know of myself,
restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,
struggling for breath, as though hands were compressing
my throat, yearning for colours, for flowers, for the voices
of the birds, thirsting for words of
kindness, neighbourliness, trembling with anger at
despotisms and petty humiliation, tossing in expectation of
great events, powerlessly trembling for friends at an
infinite distance, weary and empty at praying, at thinking,
at making faint, and ready to say farewell to it all?
Who am I? This or the other?
Am I one person today, and tomorrow another?
Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,
and before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling.
Or is something within me still like a beaten army,
fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?
Who am I? They mock me, those lonely questions
of mine. Whoever I am, thou knowest, O God, I am thine.
Look at what you wrote to that child who asked:
Who Am I? Compare and contrast it to what you have, to
reading this. How are they similar and different?
How can we treat the children in our homes and churches
more as Children of God? How can we more effectively
affirm them for who they are?
How can we live with confidence in who we are?
Whenever I went on a date with a girl, in High School,
my mother would say, as I left the house,
"Remember Who You Are?" The last thing my mother
said when I left home for college was:
"Remember Who You Are?" She wasn’t saying
"remember you are Glen Thorp, don’t do anything to
embarrass our family or you could undermine all we have
tried doing for God in Guatemala, with one inappropriate
act." She was simply reminding me that I was a Child of
God and to act accordingly.
Let your light shine so that others may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven.
In some Christians traditions it is the custom, when leaving a Sancturary to dip one's hands in the
baptism font and touch one's head with their wet fingers,
reminding themselves who they were and saying:
I am a Child of God ...
*Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison
Macmillian, New York: 1967, p. 347-348
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