Who in the world are you? (Your Identity in Christ)

 By Christina

Right now, take a moment and think of the top three things that you personally think you are identified as. And no reading further until you have come up with these three things! (I had to say that because I know what kind of person I naturally am😉.) Okay...now, list the top three things other people usually tell you that you are.

Do you feel like the two brief lists are similar? In what ways? How do you see them differ? Do you feel confident in this identity? Or perhaps, you might honestly feel insecure and rather useless because of the contemplative answers...?

As I was doing a little study for a ladies’ fellowship time, I was emphatically struck with something that I hadn’t noticed before in a rather common biblical account. In fact, my Oxford KJV Bible’s study notes helped to greatly highlight it (...you’ve gotta love a wholesome study Bible with the Scofield Study System👍)!

Ruth. Who was she? Who did she see herself identified as? Who did others perceive her to be? Opening up my Bible to the book of Ruth, I dove into some rather detailed study. And soon thereafter, my eyes were screwed onto Ruth 3:9,

“And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid...”

Ruth, a young Moabitish woman, had just made the biggest decision of her life shortly prior to this profound question. It was a decision that completely changed her identity forever. This young lady was from an absolutely corrupt society of wickedness, spiritual darkness, idolatry, fornication, multiple kinds of abuse, heathen practices of many kinds, etc. This place was home to her for many years. But through God’s sovereignty and mercy, He allowed Ruth to meet a family from Bethlehem who had just moved to Moab. This was a family who knew the One true God. They also “happened” to have two eligible young men, one of whom eventually became Ruth’s wedded husband💗.

Through a course of time, however, this “new-move-in” family’s dad died. Shortly thereafter, the two sons (one being Ruth’s husband) died as well, leaving Ruth widowed, along with her mother-in-law Naomi and her sister-in-law Orpah. However, this tragic turn of events was only a portion of the beginning for Ruth’s changing identity.

You see, Naomi decided to move back to her homeland in Bethlehem, and the two daughters-in-law were given a choice. Either:

• they could stay behind and resume life as they knew it in corrupt Moab; thus, they could return to their former identity and carry on. Or...

• they could completely leave their past identity behind and embrace a completely knew identity, which would include a life of service to the One true God.

~ Who or What You Serve Reveals Who You Are ~

1.) And Ruth Decides.
She made the choice of Who she was going to serve with heart and hand. In some ways, this was a life-and-death moment for her. Yet, it was clear that she was determinedly choosing to take upon the name of a handmaid—a servant of the most high God. (Ruth 1:14-17, 22)

2.) Ruth Serves.
She understood the needs around and chose to do her part in taking care of Naomi, faithfully carrying out the tasks required in order for her and Naomi to live in this new environment. Setting aside her personal ambitions, she saught to simply meet the needs of her household. She faithfully served as the handmaid with grace and care. And yet through this, she met a man named Boaz—the head guy over the wheat field she was able to glean from (Ruth 2:4-8).

3.) Ruth Waits.
As she faithfully served, she waited for the next step. She had no idea what the next step would entail, but her faith in the One true God gave her a settling peace to wait upon Him. Through this, she had open communication with Naomi, and because of it, a beautifully providential work began to spring forth. Naomi explained to Ruth that Boaz was a near kinsman. And in those days, the custom commonly was for the near kinsman to marry the eligible widow, in order for the family name to continue to the next generation. But in order for this to go through the proper process...it required Ruth to quietly wait through the dark unknown (Ruth 3:13, 18).

However, during this time the profound question had risen...

“And he [Boaz] said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid...” (Ruth 3:9)

Who was Ruth? In her humble eyes, her identity was as a handmaid (servant) in faithful service to the LORD. Yet, after she gave her answer, Boaz answered this same question in verse 11...except his answer to this question was through the eyes of the onlooker. Boaz said,

“...for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.”

When asked who she was, Ruth simply acknowledged her humble position: A servant. However, Boaz revealed what this faithful servant looked like from an onlooker’s point of view: the striking identity of a virtuous woman (see also Prov. 31). And it struck me...

The humble heart that decided to faithfully serve God and wait for Him to work out His plan through her journey, was rewarded with a dynamic identity.

4.) Ruth is Rewarded.
As Ruth, the faithful handmaid, was waiting in the night—in the darkness of the unknown, the redeemer was hard at work. And when light shone upon her path, after the break of dawn, Ruth was providentially lead into the next transforming chapter of her life (Ruth 4:13-17). Ultimately, she was one of the honored woman listed in our Savior Jesus Christ’s earthly lineage❤️ (check out Matthew 1:5)!

So... Who are you? Who are you when you come to the crossroad of deciding who or what you will serve? Who are you when the demands of life are at its max in your life of service? Who are you when foggy darkness falls, and though you cannot see the hand of the Redeemer at work, you are just told to wait? And who are you when the Redeemer says to you,

“Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.” (Is. 44:24)

“Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” (Is. 48:17)

Do you want to know your identity...who you really are? The question will ultimately come to “Who are you serving?” Could it be self? Is it work? Could it be money? Perhaps it is something else?

But if you sincerely want to take on an identity in the One Who is Life (Colossians 3:4), as a bride takes on the name of her bridegroom; if you want to be known with the fruit that the Holy Spirit is known for vibrantly growing (Galatians 5:22-23); if you want your identity to be firmly grounded in the Solid Rock Who never changes and will always love you—

1.) Decide (Deut. 30:19; Josh. 24:14)
2.) Serve (Deut. 13:4)
3.) Wait (Isaiah 40:31)
4.) Be Rewarded (Psalms 19:9-11; Prov. 11:18; Isaiah 62:11)

~ Who or What You Serve Reveals Who You Are ~