Who Do You Say That I Am?

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Matthew 16:13–20

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven. "Then He ordered His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah.

That is a powerful question. If I ask myself, “Who do men say that I am?” — I may get a mix of responses.

To my children, I might be a good, loving, and passionate mother. To my nieces, nephews, and family, I may be someone dependable, someone who loves deeply, and someone fierce in her concern for them. To my friends and loved ones, I might be the one who listens, laughs, and always tries to be her true self.

But the most important question to ask is: Who do I say that I am?

Am I the wounded little fatherless girl still craving the affection of a man?

Am I the teenage mother who got pregnant at sixteen, still trying to prove I am not a failure?

Am I the misunderstood adolescent who once used people to affirm her worth?

Am I the product of witnessing physical, mental, and sexual abuse?

Am I the divorcée who feels she failed at two marriages?

Am I the professional imposter afraid of being found out?

Who do I say I am? Who do I show up as in my everyday life?

The truth is, if we do not allow God to heal the wounds that have been scattered across our lives, no matter how far we’ve come or how much we try to hide, we will still show up as our wounds.

For me, I am in a season of healing. Every day I ask God to gently peel away the scars from my heart. I desire to be a new creature in my Father. I desire to be called His child. I desire to reflect His image. Anything less means I am showing up in pieces.

This journey that God has taken me on is still unfolding, but one thing is clear:

I am loved

I am worthy.

I am loving

I am forgiven

I am cared for.

I am healing

I am a child of God, no less than the stars in the sky.

And for the rest of my life

I will work to be who God says I am.