Identity

On Mondays and Fridays we have Morning Prayer in staircase fellowship groups rather then as a whole college in chapel. Monday’s prayers were led by K from our staircase who, through the use of music and reflection, enabled us to spend time thinking about who we are and how much of that identity is found in Christ. As part of the reflections we were each asked to bring an object that represents us and to say a little about why they had brought it and why it was important to their identity. After much debating I decided to take my cross necklace and being a good Anglican I had three reasons why!

1) It was given to me by my paternal grandfather at my confirmation and my name and the date are engraved on the back. My family is really important to me, both my current family but also the many generations before me. Up until a few generations ago my paternal family had all lived in the same village for hundreds of years. I have been thinking for a while about the importance there is in being known, really known, by other people and the value that we can gain from that. My family’s longevity in the village would have given them such a strong sense of who they were and where they belonged in a way that’s almost unimaginable in the modern world where we all move so much… and yet as Christians I think that we can have that sense as well. My cross reminds me that I am known by God more deeply and truly then I even know myself and that he calls me by name, the name that is engraved on his cross just as it is on mine….

2) That its worthless but means so much to me… My cross was probably bought for a tenner back in 1981 and is probably not even worth that now, but its one of my most precious possessions. This is a constant reminder to me that even though I am worth little in the global scheme of things I am incredibly and infinitely precious to God. It helps me to always remember that no matter what lack of value we place on ourselves or the world places on us we are loved by God as if we were the only one to be loved.

3) It’s incredibly fragile looking but is surprisingly strong. For many years I was reluctant to wear my cross as it’s very delicate on a thin chain and I was worried about breaking it or loosing it. As an adult I decided that this was silly as it was bought to be worn and I started to wear it and now wear it most days. Its been through a lot with me, travelled all over and put up with some rough handling and yet its still there, a few knots in the chain maybe and a bit worn around the edges but essentially still the same cross as it was all those years ago. Again this reminds me that no matter how fragile I feel, and there are some days when I feel like a thin piece of glass that can’t possibly make it through in one piece, that with Gods help even the most fragile things can be strong and can and will survive.

So that’s my object, anyone care to share theirs?