Unfortunately, we live in a culture that encourages the sentiment that there is an elite group of Someones, and if you can only become one of these Someones, you will be happy. The definition of a Someone is very vague; some people say you need money, others a good talent that you can use to gain a good following, and still others the ability to distinguish between gourmet and common food. No one knows what a real Someone looks like, but everyone wants to be a Someone.
What a wasteful pursuit!
That was my first mistake, thinking that being a Someone in the eyes of the world would be satisfying. As soon as I saw that this was, indeed, a mistake, I sat down to write this post. That was when I noticed my second mistake.
I intended on writing about how silly being a Someone looked when one contrasted it to the Christian view of being adopted sons of God. And indeed, being the son/daughter of the Maker of the universe is a very wonderful thing. But was that the end?
I had completely missed the point. I was ready to boast about my position, when, in fact, the last thing I should be doing is sticking out my chest with prideful confidence. I still had the worldly view of being a Someone - only I had transferred it elsewhere; I was still finding fulfilment in myself.
How could I boast that I was a child of the King when my very conversion could not have taken place without help from Him? Sin had so separated me from God that there was no way my heart could suddenly "chose" to follow Christ (2 Cor. 4:3-4, John 6:63). Christ had to first choose me, and begin a work in my heart before I would even attempt to give Him a second glance.
The only reason I can stand up today and testify as a witness for Christ is because Jesus gave his life for me - I was so evil that only the Son of God could save me. If that isn't humbling, I don't know what is.
And thus, we find our identity in the work of Jesus Christ, not in ourselves. We find our worth and our value not in our rank or status, or rather, those things that only serve to increase our pride; but in humility, knowing that there is no way we could save ourselves, and rejoicing in the fact that God loved us so much that He was willing to save us (John 3:16).
"26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
~ I Corinthians 1:26-31