Nancy Hughes: Where do I belong?

“But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

I John 2:5-6 (NIV)

When I was a freshman in high school, I was chosen to be part of a girl’s sextet in choir. That was a huge honor for me. But even more important to a tall, skinny, very shy girl, was the fact that I now “belonged.” People knew me as the freshman in the sextet.

We practiced during choir every day and after school to be the best we could be. And because we knew it was also important to appear as a group to the judges, we looked at several outfits and finally decided on green, dotted Swiss skirts and blouses. The blouses buttoned down the front and had long sleeves with a ruffle at each wrist and a huge ruffle around the neck. All six of them. It was obvious that we belonged together.

 

Imagine our excitement when we got the top rating of a “1” at districts and continued to state competition, where we also got a “1” rating. Top in the state in girl’s sextets! For weeks after the contest, wherever we went at school, we were recognized as the group that got top honors at the state musical contest. And as a bonus for me, I had the feeling of knowing that I belonged.

We all desire to belong, don’t we? And we all DO belong – to something. Maybe we are in a card-playing group or on a baseball team. Perhaps we are members of a fan club for a ball team or in a group who ride horses or motorcycles every weekend. Whatever it is, we all identify with something or someone.

Belonging. How important it is to feel a part of a group. To be identified and acknowledged as “belonging.” Let me ask you: who do you identify with? What do you belong to? Of course, I’m not talking about a club or ball team but your faith. And I’m not talking about a specific church in a particular town.

I am talking about your relationship with Jesus. Because it all comes down to this: either you belong to Him or you don’t. Either people will look at you and recognize that He lives in your heart or they will look at you and see a member of a fan club or card club only.

Please don’t misunderstand. Belonging to a club or team is not bad; we all have things we belong to and people know us by those activities. But most important is our walk with Jesus. Can people tell that we belong to Him by what we say and do?

The Scripture in I John explains that clearly. If we obey the Lord, His love will be in us, we will know it and show it, and as a result, others will know us by our relationship with Him. My encouragement is for each of us to show others that we belong – to Jesus.

Father, more than anything, I want people around me to know that I belong to you. Please help me to show others your love in my walk every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

Are you recognized in your community as a member of several groups and organizations?

Do people around you also recognize you as a member of the family of God?

Apply

Make a list of all the clubs and organizations you are a member of in your journal.

Beside each one, write an example of how people in that organization can tell you belong to the family of God.

Power

I John 2:5-6 (NIV) “But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

II Corinthians 5:15 (NIV) “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Titus 1:16 (NIV) “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”

(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing, check out her blog, Encouragement from the War Room.)