We have talked about our need to embrace discomfort in my last sharing. How can we help our congregants embrace discomfort? Here are a few suggestions:
The first is identity. Identity is probably the most important thing in our lives. We have an identity as Malaysians. This identity gives us national rights and interests. We can have access to education, rights to medicine, job opportunities, voting rights and so on. We also have a Chinese identity, so we follow Chinese customs, celebrate Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival and so on.
Identity is also responsibility. If we are a father, we have the responsibility of fatherhood. If we have the identity of a Malaysian citizen, we have the responsibility to love Malaysia. If we have the identity of a disciple of Christ, we have the responsibility to follow Christ. If a person does not identify himself with his identity, then he will not fulfil the obligations of his identity. As an example: I am not an Indian, nor am I a Hindu, so I cannot possibly celebrate Thaipusam.
Identity is also an honour. We will be proud to be Malaysian. We will be proud of being an alumnus of such-and-such university. We will be proud of being a top executive of such-and-such company. We will be proud of being the parents of so-and-so. And so on and so forth.
Identity must be correct because it directly affects our behaviour. For example, my identity as a Malaysian citizen will make me naturally support the Malaysian team. My Malaysian citizenship influence my behaviour and makes me feel that supporting a Malaysian team is a sign of patriotism, which triggers a sense of pride in my heart. This identity may even lead to emotions, cheering for the team’s victory, shedding tears for the team’s defeat, and even acts of violence.
Identity can also affect our growth or change if it is not correct. When a friend invites us to eat junk food, if we position our identity as someone who is dieting, our willpower to resist junk food will surely weaken slowly, and eventually we will not be able to resist the temptation, and our plan to lose weight will not be sustainable because dieting is hardly a way of life. However, if we position our identity as a healthy person, then this identity will make us adhere to a healthy diet, and can also help us to leave the unhealthy habits, in the long run, our weight will naturally achieve a healthy situation. Positioned in the “weight loss” and positioning in the “health” effect is completely different.
This is why it is so important for members to know who they are. Many Christians know they are Christians, but they do not know they are disciples of Christ. It is only when they are clear and identify with this identity that they can be awakened to their responsibility as disciples. We must let them know that they are not just Christians, but disciples of Christ. They are children of God, priests of the King, ambassadors of Christ. They have these identities and must also live a life equal to their identities.
How can we make our members aware of their identity? The best way is through the teaching of God’s Word and the practice of living it out in life. This process is not something that can be accomplished by hearing the sermons on Sunday, nor is it a short-term thing, but something that can only be accomplished through years and years of discipleship.