IDENTITY

A little girl stood in front of the mirror with her little brother beside her. She wondered out loud, speaking to the mirror:

“Who am I?”

“Why does my brother look different from me?

“Can I be like Aunty Anne?”

As she spoke, she paused for a response. None came. All she saw reflected was herself. How frustrating that was. She walked away with unanswered questions.

A key contributor to the challenges in the world today is the identity crisis. Even more troubling is the subtle displacement of young children’s God-given identity by trending world views and definitions of who they should be or aspire to become.

Dear Mum, do you know that the devil does not need to change who your children are or what you taught them about their identity? All he seeks is to tamper with that knowledge. He wants to make your children feel there is a better version of themselves. It does not start as outright deception. It begins with challenging them to evolve into their true self, to take charge of who they ought to be. You see, these messages look very attractive and well-founded. They even really make sense to the ears. However, the issue with them is that they have undertones that want your children to rebel against God’s agenda. To get to the point where they seek fulfillment in themselves.

Now you hear parents or guardians say:

“Please let them enjoy themselves. They are still children.”

“They don’t understand, is it not just music?”

“Don’t say he/she, use they. Don’t say, Mum or Dad, just Parents.”

You no longer consider the foundational role that childhood plays in life. When this foundation is faulty, the future will be shaky.

I saw a book recently titled Santa’s Husband. I was stunned to find that an object that depicts Christmas was being used to depict homosexuality. I realize there is more to come as gross darkness will continue. However, the problem is not the darkness. The issue is, are you preparing your children to know their identity so they can become all they were created to be and to shine brightly as the light that chases out darkness?

Knowing who they are is not far-fetched. It goes beyond their giftings, talents, lineage, or kinship. It comes from having a relationship with their creator. The one who knew them before they were formed. Start being deliberate in teaching them about their identity from God’s word. It is the true essence of who they are when the bells and whistles are removed. If you don’t do it, cartoons will reshape their perception of their sexuality, music videos will teach them modesty is old-fashioned and redefine what success is to them. The school will teach them to stop being “fanatical”, that they don’t need to be extremists for Jesus; after all, everyone serves God. The more entrenched these messages, the more we will have children aspiring to perfect the emergence of a distorted identity.

Plan to raise a generation that will be the GLORY OF GOD by pointing them to the source of their identity. SELAH

Writer: Sandra Onojetah