We are in the final week of our time here in Australia. It is such a fantastic experience to have time with our grandchildren. As a grandmother, I’ve been watching, listening, and asking questions to get to know them better. At ages ten and seven, their distinct personalities and depth of character fascinate me. Because we have limited time with them, we are intentional in our interactions with them. Our desire is to support our son and daughter-in-love’s parenting. And to be supportive, our choices matter.
He Chose Us
“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”
John 15:16 NLT
God chose us and appointed us to be productive for Him. But it is up to us to choose who we are each day of our lives. Especially since we don’t know when our final week will come.
In each of Jesus’s interactions with those He whose lives He touched, Jesus chose to be fully Himself. And even in the final week, before the cross, He models for us to keep choosing who we are.
We Never Stop Choosing Who We Are
When Jesus got up from the meal and took off His outer clothing, He chose to be a servant by washing His disciples’ feet. He modeled the importance of connection, humility, and service to others.
When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, one of His disciples struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Jesus chose mercy. At a time when He could have responded with domination and holy anger, He chose healing and restraint.
When Pilate questions Jesus, He responds: “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.” Jesus chose authenticity, showing us the importance of standing firm in who we are, no matter who we interact with.
Throughout the final week, Jesus kept choosing who He was. He deliberately chose humility, mercy, and truth. His example of serving, healing, and being true to His character invites us to do the same—to remember that we are choosing the kind of person we become every day, no matter the circumstances.
*For those of you who prayer walk, consider who you are, and ask God what choices you need to make this week to maintain your identity.