To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. – Dr. Seuss

Have you ever set aside an hour, in a quiet and undistracted place, to consider deeply the answer to the identity question? If you have, then you know what a disturbing exercise it can be. The fact is, most of us will experience long seasons of identity crisis as we travel through the stages and changes of life.

“Who am I?” is a timeless question. It has puzzled us, humans, since the beginning. It certainly got Adam into a lot of trouble. I have also encountered my fair share of identity struggles. It’s not an easy question to answer – but it must be answered.

Where do you discover your identity? Is it based on your race, ethnicity, or nationality? Is it found in your family tree or your family responsibilities? Is it your health or your physical limitations? Is it your job or career? Is it your military service or community volunteerism? Is it connected to a higher rung on the socio-economic ladder? Is it the size or location of your house? Is it your expensive car? Maybe it’s your five, six, or seven-figure salary? Is it your politics and religion? Is it your resistance to politics and religion? Is it revealed by your passions, hobbies, and pursuits? Is it defined by what other people think or the pigeonholes they stuff you into? Are you a jock or thrill-seeker? A geek or brainiac? A stoner or rebel? Do you remember how hard it was to fit in at school? How about today? Has it gotten any easier? Probably not.

Yikes. This identity thing is no joke. Give it a solid hour of uninterrupted consideration, and if you weren’t having an identity crisis when you started, you’ll be having one when you finish. Ugh.

Moses had an identity problem. He was, first and foremost, the son of Hebrew slaves. But he was also a prince of Egypt, saved from certain death in the Nile and raised as the royal grandchild of the sovereign Pharaoh. His two identities stood in perfect opposition to each other.

His identity quandary became an identity crisis on the day he witnessed an Egyptian slavedriver beating a Hebrew slave. What he did next defined his identity – he killed the slavedriver and buried him in the sand. He knew his identity, and he was tired of denying it. He was a Hebrew – or so he thought.

The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting. He tried to intervene, but they rejected him. The Egyptians didn’t want him, and neither did the Hebrews. He was suddenly a man without an identity. He fled into the desert and took up a new life. He married the daughter of a Midianite sheep herder and settled into being a husband, father, and shepherd – a whole new identity. For a long time, however, Moses actually saw himself as an outcast. That was his real identity. The name he gave to his first son, Gershom, reflected the pain in his heart. Gershom means I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.

One day, while tending his flocks, Moses came upon a burning bush, the voice of God, holy ground, and a divine calling. Moses immediately encountered a major identity crisis. He argued with God, but to no avail. Next thing Moses knew, he was heading back to Egypt to lead the Hebrews out of slavery and into the Promised Land. It was a job he hadn’t sought and one he tried his best to turn down.

His instincts were right about this new identity. The Egyptians didn’t accept him, and neither did the Hebrews. For the next forty years, his leadership was constantly challenged as he suffered endless complaining and criticism. It took a long time, but he did get the Hebrews to the Promised Land. Sadly, he never got to enter it. Reading his story, we wonder if Moses was ever able to answer that pesky identity question.

Have you ever felt like Moses? I know I have. Life is constantly changing, and there’s not a blasted thing we can do about it. Every time we begin to settle into a sense of identity, life throws us a curveball, and our identity goes out the window. Jobs change, people die, sickness comes, accidents happen, the kids grow up and move away, our beauty and strength fade, our bodies grow old, and our minds grow dim. Before we know it, life is . . .

Whoa! Back the truck up! I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to accept the idea that we should live in a never-ending identity crisis! There’s got to be an answer to this question that brings peace and contentment – even during life’s constant turbulence and change.

This is important. It is impossible to experience life to the full if we are constantly trying to figure out who we are. Erik Erikson said it this way, “In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity.”

There is much more to be said, but we’ll pick up the conversation next week. In the meantime, set aside an hour and see if you can answer the identity question, “Who am I?”