ON THE VANGUARD

WHO AM I?
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”
I Peter 2:9

The last few days, maybe even the last week or so, I have found myself in a few interesting situations. No I am not talking crazy situations, but interesting. It seems as though I have been finding myself in places where God is using me more. For example, I was at the grocery store over the weekend and someone came up next to me and, from looking at my clothing, began asking me a few questions about my faith. I have even seen it via facebook and other chat room type settings, where people are approaching me and asking me questions. Now the normal person on the street who doesn’t know me from Adam has no idea about the fact that I have a theology degree, yet they approach me. Is there a vibe I put out, is it truly the clothes that I wear, or is it something more? Who am I that people are drawn to me? And maybe more so the correct question, who am I at all?
I know the Bible says in I Peter 2:9 that I am a peculiar person, and trust me, I have my moments of being peculiar. But this ‘peculiar’ definition of me is way beyond just my dressing strange or eating weird food mixtures. In fact, this word ‘peculiar’ in the Greek is PERIPOIESIS and it means to be preserved and possessed, to be a property of. Now hold on, that is pretty deep; so deep that I think we need to look at the entire verse. We first learn that we are a chosen generation. We are EKLEKTOS, meaning specifically picked out, elected as if by God, and selected as best in class. Then we are told we are a royal priesthood. In the Greek the words are BASILEIOUS, meaning kingly and regal, and HIERATEUMA, meaning holding of the office of priest. Lastly Peter describes us as a holy nation. Holy here is HAGIOS, meaning the most holy or saintly thing.
When we put it all together, we see that Peter is writing that we are a hand-picked, best in class people, regal and priestly, upholding to a high degree of holiness, and specifically preserved and possessed. This is what we are said to be, but is this what we believe? Do you believe that this is who you are? The question of ‘who am I?’ may be a question that you have been asking yourself. And to the best of my ability, I think I am coming to grips with an answer to this question. Would you like to hear it?
The me I see is not the me that God sees me as. God sees me as a person who He wanted to create, who He wanted to have a relationship with, and that He is so proud of that He wants to show me off. God sees me as kingly and priestly even though He knows that at times I act like the street bum who lives in the sewer of sin. God sees me as one who is holy because I am trying hard to walk in His steps of holiness. And God sees me as one who He wants to be with so much that He continues to preserve me from the enemy, and reclaim His possession of me in His love. Who am I? I am His!
So why is it that people approach me in the store, or ask me questions in facebook chats and such? I hold nothing more than a humble opinion of who I am. I choose to believe it is because people see Him in me, shining forth, and they are drawn to Him in me. They see that I really am ‘peculiar’, preserved and possessed, and they want that same sense of being wanted. The good news is that it can be theirs, just as it can be yours. So how about it? Are you ready to be peculiar also?