Transformation: Growing In Identity
John 21 v 21-22
“Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, ‘Master, what’s going to happen to him’. Jesus said ‘If I want him to live until I come again, what’s it to you? You – follow me’
Podcasts of varying shapes and sizes are a great love of mine; ones by great theologians, ones that teach me how to fail and ones that make me laugh out loud regardless of where I am. What I keep noticing through my listening is that so many of the truths that people are ‘discovering” today have already been discovered and taught… by Jesus!
This passage today is the original teaching of ‘stay in your lane’! Jesus says to Peter; ‘you stay in your lane, you have your identity and your calling from me, you don’t need to know about anyone else’s, that will distract you from what your unique identity is in Me’. Even in these latter days whilst Jesus was still physically with his disciples, Peter was struggling to own his identity in Christ and discover and delight in all that had been placed in him and not compare himself. As someone who spends a lot more time than is healthy veering out of her lane, this is so powerful. Why would I question what my heavenly Father has for me by checking out the ‘competition’?
Through Peter’s transformation, he did step into that identity. His transformation journey was not always linear and his calling not an easy one. Yet John writes that at the end ‘Peter would glorify God’. Our heavenly Father will not take away the calling on our lives or our unique gifts regardless of how many times we compare ourselves asking, ‘what’s happening to them? ‘or ‘why can’t I be like that?’ Do we choose to be transformed into people who step into that identity held for us with both feet not looking to the left or the right? Do we choose a life which glorifies God or one limited by our own comparisons?
Prayer – Lord thank you that I am a unique child of God, fearfully and wonderfully made. Keep my eyes on you and your calling on my life when comparison tries to take me off course.
Libby Hubbard