In my years with Young Life, I attempted to be a faithful student of adolescent culture. Speaking with teens, I found they were constantly driven by two questions. But I believe that it’s more than just teenagers who ask these questions. They are the questions that drive all of us.
The first question is, “Who am I?†It is a question of identity. People are trying to figure out who they are and what they are about.
The second question is, “Why am I here?†It is a question of purpose. For all the existential philosophy that has pervaded our culture, people can’t get past believing that they must have some deeper purpose.
But now I would like to add one more question to the list. “Do I belong?†It is a question of community. People are always looking, always searching, in the hopes of finding a place where they are welcomed, accepted and liked. People long to belong.
People look for answers for these three questions in a lot of places. Unfortunately, most people never find the answers they are looking for. Those three questions will continue to haunt them, leaving them as just a shell of a person.
The great hope and promise is that all three of these questions are answered profoundly in the Scriptures. We as Christians hold in our hands the answers to the questions that plague the people we know.
Who am I? First and foremost, you are the image of God on earth. There is no greater status a creature can hold than to be the likeness of the Creator. And what’s more, God invites us to be his children too. Image of God and child of God - that is who you are.
Why am I here? The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism answers this question succinctly when it says, “Man’s primary purpose is to glory God and to enjoy him forever.†Your purpose to worship and honor the God in whose image you were made.
Do I belong? If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you belong to his church. You are part of the Body of Christ and that Body needs you - your gifts, your passions and your personality. Every affinity group, PTA, country club, fraternity, sorority and civic club may offer membership, but not the unconditional acceptance that should exist within the church. And the cool thing is that the church is comprised of a bunch of images of God coming together to fulfill their purpose of worship with one another.
The people in our neighborhoods are asking questions. And you are holding the answers. Won’t you go and be a friend to someone today, assuring them of who they are, that they do have a meaningful purpose in life and that because of the shed blood of Christ, they can belong to his church?
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