DO I NEED WOKE IDENTITY?

Woke awareness is a search for and an embrace of your personal identity. It insists that, whatever this identity might be, it should be accepted and affirmed by others.

Woke awareness is a rejection of the surpassing identity that we have inherited as children of Christ. About the value of this identity, Paul had written:

·       But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. (Philippians 3:7-9 ESV)

There are many things that give us a sense of worth. I had clung to my Jewish identity. It enabled me to feel somewhat good about myself. My people had won almost 30% of the Nobel Prizes and excelled in many fields. This helped feel like I was a “somebody.” Even more, I could also trust that there was something worthy about me.

However, after I came to know the love of Jesus, I became convinced that I am a “somebody” because He regards me this way. In comparison to His love, the ethnic worthiness that I had depended upon disappeared. Therefore, I do not allow people to call me a “Messianic Jew.” Instead, I am a Christian, because Christ is my life (Galatians 2:20). I will not even allow another identity to compete with Him.

While I feel good about being a male, an American, a teacher, and even a senior citizen, these identities are expendable. They will soon be no more, and so I will not cling to any of them but to Christ alone! Paul also wrote that if we have Jesus, we have everything we need:

·       See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. (Colossians 2:8-10)

Unfortunately, many are placing their hopes in other identities that will not ultimately give them what they want. One indication of this is their insistence that others affirm their identity. Consequently, they remain slaves to the opinions of others. If they do not receive their approval, they become deeply hurt. However, it is no longer this way once our lives find their rest in Jesus, who gives us everything we need. As a result, I now know who I am and to whom I belong, and no one can take this away from me.

Once our very basic needs are met in Jesus, we can have the freedom to love others, even those who do not affirm us.

We have no need of a Woke church. It is a buggy whip for someone who lacks either a horse or a car.