If you abide in Me and My word abides in you, then you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

On Worshipful Wednesdays, we take a look at God’s word and His kingdom to see what we can learn about ourselves, Him and/or our relationships with Him.

For several days I’ve reflected on a couple of questions our Sunday School teacher asked Sunday. First, he asked, “Who are you?” Then, he asked, “What are you?”

Does this sound like two questions asking the same thing? When we stop to think about it, the two questions are asking for totally different answers. Unfortunately, many of us confuse the two.

If you ask me what I am, I might tell you I’m a novelist. Or a devotional writer. Or just an author. I might even tell you I’m a retired insurance agent. All of these answers would be correct for this question.

These same answers would be completely incorrect, however, if you asked me who I am. The trouble is, we often think they are appropriate answers to who we are.

Who I am has to do with my personality, my character—not with how I earn a living. I don’t know about the rest of the world, but Americans in general, in American men in particular, tend to think of their work as defining who they are.

If I define myself by the work I do, that implies that my work is the most important aspect of me and of my life. It would be sad for that to be true.

Who I am is a sinner saved by grace, being conformed to the image of Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit. Who I am is a husband who thoroughly and deeply loves his wife and want only the best for her. Who I am is a father who loves his daughter, and by extension, her family, with all my heart.

Beyond that, who I am is a man who places great importance on family and also on relationships with other people. Who I am is a patriot who loves his country and fears for its future.

Who I am is who I am, not what I do.

Have you given thought to these two questions? How would you answer them? How would your family and friends answer them for you?

Have a New Testament passage or concept you’d like to see discussed here? Maybe something you’ve never quite understood. I’d love to hear from you about that, too. I’ll try my best to explain it.

For more information about David N. Walker, click the “About” tab above.

For more information about his books, click on “Books” above.

Contact him at dnwalkertx@gmail.com or tweet him at @davidnwalkertx.