My spammed identity crisis
I hate SPAM. I really do. And as much as I despise that nasty concoction sealed in tin cans and sold in the grocery store…I’m not talking about that today. The SPAM that I really hate is the one that shows up in my email inbox.
Although I use the SPAM-filters on all my personal and work email accounts, there is always some junk emails that get through. “Buy my stuff”, “Click this link” – makes me just roll my eyes. Sometimes, the topic of the email is relative to something I’ve searched for or shopped for recently. I bought some cordless power tools this past summer, and ever since I keep getting emails that I’m the “lucky winner” of a new tool set. Other times, I can tell that my email address was sold to some list of random ads, clickbait, and phishing scams…often profiled to whatever demographic they believe I fit in: “Your Paypal account is locked”, “Life insurance – cheap quotes”, “Free phone – please respond”, “Find singles in your area” and on and on and on…
Looking at my SPAM file now…if my identity was defined by how these entities view me…here’s who I would be, based on just the SPAM I’ve received today:
The lucky winner of gift cards to both Kohl’s and Delta Airlines, a Milwaulkee Power Drill set, a Yeti backpack, as well as sweet deals for Canvas Prints, Gutter Guards, and a compression knee sleeve.
Going back a couple more days, the SPAM companies’ picture of my identity includes:
Someone who is in need life insurance, a sloth Christmas t-shirt (twice), a sexy message from “Sofia”, a pizza oven, another power drill set, an American Airlines gift card, dementia information, and a warning that my McAfee account will be removed today!
It would be absurd for me to look at these junk emails and believe that they define what I should buy, where my interests are focused, or who I am as a person. These strangers and their algorithms use scraps of data about me to construct a common-denominator profile, firing off anything a guy my age(ish) might be interested in.
But how often do we allow others to define our spending habits, our interests, or our value as a person? It is very easy to allow the opinions of coworkers, fellow students, or celebrities to change our focus. How much of our inner dialogue is shaped by what we see in commercials or on what the algorithms show us on social media? How many of our wants, fears, and racing thoughts are driven by others and their view of what our identity should be?
We look for external affirmation because we know our internal thoughts can be biased. The good news is that we can choose who is (and who isn’t) allowed to speak into our lives about who we are.
Ever wonder what God says about our identity?
Once we believe in Jesus for eternal life (John 3:16), we automatically become children of God (John 1:12). Here are a few more characteristics that God declares about His kids:
· We’re rescued out of our old life and have a new home – one of love:
Colossians 1:13
He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.
· We find forgiveness:
Colossians 1:14
In Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
· We have been brought near into God’s family. God is no longer relationally distant from us:
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
· We have a home, a place where we belong:
Philippians 3:20
Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
These verses are a small sampling of what God has to say about our identity. We can find many more identity descriptions throughout the New Testament books. I suggest reading the letters I quoted above – Colossians, Ephesians, and Philippians – as these books talk a great deal about who we are in God’s family. They are quick reads that will have great insight into who God says we are.
So don’t allow SPAM emails, social media algorithms, or other imperfect humans to determine your identity. Instead, look to the one who gave you eternal life and made you a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). If we trust Him with our eternal destiny, then we should be able to trust Him with our identity.
Keep Pressing,
Ken