Every person defines himself or herself when looking in the mirror. When looking in a mirror some people like what they see; such as the 67 year old I have come to know and often see looking at himself in mirrors located in public places with admiration. Unfortunately, he is at loss as to why his life has produced dissatisfaction.
Jesus said that once a person has had the log from removed his eye, he will be able to see how to take the speck out of someone else’s eye. When this occurs, factual definition of one’s self can become a possibility. Until such time, irrespective of the claim, people will define themselves by how they feel.
However, in saying that we define ourselves by how we feel, we have to admit this is not totally true. Because the ability to define requires words, and words require definitions, if they are to have any meaning. Hence, when we say that we define ourselves by how we feel, we are expressing a fact about our feeling, but not necessarily an accurate definition of who we are in reality.
What is rather interesting is that the Bible teaches that we live and move and have our being within God. This is not what Christians typically believe, let alone realize. For those schooled in theological thought or who are philosophically disposed, the suggestion that we exist within the Creator God reeks of existentialism. For many Christians the suggestion of existentialism is anathema. Heaven forbid! Worse still, for those who resist such an idea, the Apostle Paul actually went as far as saying that we should feel after God; that is actually have contact with Him.
- And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:26-27)
The Greek word ψηλαφήσειαν (psēlaphēseian 5584) in Acts 17:27 is often translated grope as per: that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.[1] But different versions translate psēlaphēseian as “search after”, “feel after”, “reach for” with some even avoiding the idea of coming into contact and preferring “seek after” or “search for”.
The King James Lexicon informs us that verification is by contact, we read: pselaphao to manipulate, i.e. verify by contact; figuratively, to search for—feel after, handle, touch.[2]
Right now, we are told that we see imperfectly through a glass darkly. For we see ourselves with imperfection and through the eyes of an individual who has yet to become fully known, even though we would like to not have to admit this truth, for we like to think we know who we are.
- For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. (1 Corinthians 13:9-12)
One thing is for sure, the more we come to understand our relationship with our Creator, the more we come to understand ourselves. Feeling is very much an important part of relationship. Love, joy and peace are vital to happiness and a prerequisite to fully knowing who we are and what we can be. We might know somebody and yet have no feelings for that person; but how much more this changes when we are in a relationship.
- Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
People define themselves by the fact that they possess certain pieces of paper, such as certificates, degrees, professional acclamation, awards, medals, without actually having influenced anything of great significance. People define themselves of their perceived position among their peers or status within the workplace. People define themselves by the power they think wield, and who they can influence. People define themselves by the wealth they have accumulated. People define themselves by accomplishments which others may still have in their bucket list. God defines us by His love. The truth is that it is up to us how as to how much we are willing to rest in His love for us.
Footnotes
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