Who do You Say I Am?

Matthew 16:15  He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?

Years ago, there was a famous plastic surgeon, Dr. Maxwell Maltz.  He spent his life changing “ugly” faces into “beautiful” ones.  He went on to write a best-selling book on the amazing personality changes that took place after these life-changing surgeries. 

Years after writing this best-selling book, Dr. Maltz learned the real truth.  That although these people’s faces changed, their hearts did not.  He would change their appearance so much that they would not even be recognized by their own families.  But he witnessed patient after patient complaining and insisting that their appearance had not changed at all.  You see, these people still looked in the mirror and saw the same “ugly” face they paid thousands to change.  Although their facial appearances changed drastically, the same distorted image they had of themselves continued to appear in the mirror. 

 

 

I sat quietly in the bible study as the Lord ministered to my heart.  I thought of this doctor’s experience and recognized the insanity of it all.  After all, that doctor had completely changed these people’s faces, but they just didn’t see it.  And then it became personal to me.  Was I one of these?  You see, I had gone my entire childhood feeling like a fat ugly duckling with crook teeth and a crooked smile.  I had inherited my jutting jawline and crowded teeth from my mom’s side of the family.  It bothered me so much and made me so insecure, that in 2000 I had my jaw broke during surgery to rearrange by jaw and make my teeth straight.  It really did change my appearance.  But to my amazement, even to this day, though many people don’t recognize me, I still see myself as that fat ugly duckling with the crooked smile. 

The Lord truly opened my eyes during this study.  I had never realized that I still saw this distorted image of myself.  I had to ask myself one very important question just like Jesus asked Peter in Matthew 16:15  “But who do you say I am?”   How does Jesus see me?  What is His image of me?  When I asked this question the Lord answered me in a mighty way.

 The High and Lofty One says…

I am His Beloved.  (Colossians 3:12)

I am His Child.  (Romans 8:16)

I am a disciple of the King (John 8:31)

I am able to approach His throne.  (Hebrews 4:16)

I am accepted by the King (Ephesians 1:6)

I am a friend of the King.  (Proverbs 18:24)

I am royalty. (1Peter 2:9)

I am chosen by Him.  (2Th2:13)

I am complete in Him.  (Col 2:10)

I am hidden in Him.  (Psalm 32:7)

I am His workmanship.  (Ephesians 2:10)

I am established in Him.  (Romans 1:11)

I am anointed by Him. (2Cr 1:21)

I am buried with Him.  (Romans 6:4)

I am baptized in Him. (Romans 6:4)

I have been risen with Him.  (Col 2:12)

I am a new creation in Him.  (2Cr 5:17)

I am made alive by Him.  (Ephesians 2:5)

I am adopted by Him.  (Romans 8:15)

I am never going to be separated from Him.  (Romans 8:39)

I am sanctified by Him. (1Th 5:23)

I am justified by Him. (Acts 13:39)

I am designed by Him.  (Jer. 1:50

And the list goes on and on.     So when I look in the mirror and see that old reflection of the ugly duckling from long ago, I praise God that Jesus shines His light of truth on my distorted image.  It’s Jesus who identifies who I am.  My perceived image is not the same as His.  Everything I do, say and my total existence is hinged on who Jesus says I am…in Him.  And that, my friends, is all that matters.  Because God’s word says I am not who I was and I will never be the same again.  And from this day forward, I praise God for the woman I see in the mirror because my identity is hidden in what Jesus did for me on the cross and He is my true reflection!