Pastor's Pen: Will the real me stand up!

By Rev Alan MillarThe camera never lies, unless you have access to what is known as airbrushing, a computer technique that will enhance the most uncomplimentary of photographs to make the subject look more appealing.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Mar 2016, 07:00 BST
Rev Alan Millar.Rev Alan Millar.
Rev Alan Millar.

Some people would love to airbrush their unflattering passport or driving licence photographs. However, passport control people want to see a true representation of the person standing in front of them – they want to see ‘the real me’. Of course the camera cannot show my soul, the kind of person I really am. What kind of person do people see in you, in me?

One day Jesus asked the disciples, who do people say that I am? What the people saw was Jesus, the carpenter’s son from Nazareth. But that is not what He meant. He was referring to His true identity, the divine Son of God - His true nature shown by what He said and did. Their answers certainly identified a godly man, but not His true identity. Then Jesus asked the disciples the piercing question: “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” (Mark 8:29) If Peter truly believed what he had said why did he deny knowing Jesus, the Messiah in the courtyard?

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Who do you say that Jesus is? We can say all the right words, just like Peter, but how often do we betray Him, denying His sovereignty over our lives? Or as one of the modern quips goes: ‘Do we walk the talk’? - that is, we can say we are Christians, but that can only be shown by our actions. Who do people say you are?

Our true identity was established at birth when we were made in God’s image, that is, we were made to reflect His glory and His love. Somehow our true nature and identity got buried under sin. But praise be to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to have our true nature and divine identity restored to us, all we have to do is to love one another as He loved us. That Love is what Paul described as being patient and kind, not boastful or arrogant, not always trying to get our own way. (1 Cor. 13:4-8) Such things make a person a real Christian.