See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1
As my friend reviewed the pictures I took of her, she pointed out the physical characteristics she saw as imperfections. I asked her to look closer. “I see a beautiful and beloved daughter of the Almighty King of Kings,” I said. “I see a compassionate lover of God and others, whose genuine kindness, generosity, and faithfulness have made a difference in so many lives.” When I noticed the tears brimming her eyes, I said, “I think you need a tiara!” Later that afternoon, we picked out the perfect crown for my friend so she would never forget her true identity.
When we come to know Jesus personally, He crowns us with love and calls us His children (1 John 3:1). He gives us the power to persevere in faith so that “we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming” (2:28). Though He accepts us as we are, His love purifies us and transforms us into His likeness (3:2–3). He helps us recognize our need for Him and repent as we rejoice in the power to turn away from sin (vv. 7–9). We can live in faithful obedience and love (v. 10), with His truth hidden in our hearts and His Spirit present in our lives.
My friend didn’t really need a tiara or any other trinket that day. But we both needed the reminder of our worth as God’s beloved children.
What personal faults and past failings have you allowed to determine your identity? How can knowing you’re loved, chosen, and crowned as God’s child help you live in righteousness and love?
Loving God, thank You for reminding me that who I am is based on whose I am—Yours, simply Yours.
Learn more about your own identity.
INSIGHT
First John 2:28–3:10 contains two intertwined themes: being children of God and acting like His children. In 2:29, John writes that “everyone who does what is right has been born of [God].” In 3:10, the idea is framed in the negative: anyone “[not doing] what is right is not God’s child.” In between these two verses, John builds on the idea of our actions corresponding to our identity in Christ. Jesus proclaimed the same truth when He said that a tree is known by its fruit (Luke 6:43–45).