Defined by faith

We are not defined by our level of education nor are we defined by our career.  Our socio economic status defines us not nor does the religious institution we choose to attend. Our definition of self is shaped and defined by our treatment of others. How we act and react toward others defines our character; compassion, kindness, empathy and generosity coupled with concern for and devotion to the well being of others highlights who we are versus who we claim to be.  Identifying the stranger as a person of God and ultimately as a friend requires commitment to faith and an understanding of love reaching beyond that which society claims noteworthy.  Gaining access to the heart  makes for immeasurable actions for the heart requires no score.  Those who persecute is, those who criticize us, those who hate upon us do so because they know not their heart, they have lost connection to their soul and subscribe to societal definitions of  appropriate action.  The Father calls us to reach beyond the impersonal and delve into the personal by maintaining a connection with and to the heart that our drive to journey in faith far outweighs our want for personal gain and glory.  How we treat the stranger calls attention to our ability to accept the Father’s love and put that love into action. Those whom we may label as enemies, treatment of such persons, too, speaks to our character.  Setting aside differences,  looking past critical claims, seeing and treating a person with dignity and respect, this is who we are at our core.  Wronged by one, loved by another, human inclination is to treat one with disgust and the other with praise and respect; yet a character formed in love, cultivated in faith would treat the two as equals, treat them both with concern, with dignity, reaching beyond human tendencies.   Define that whom we are in love, define each action in faith, each interaction in hope, each criticism with peace, each misunderstand with understanding  and we begin to define our person in the Father.  Christ spoke with kindness, He action upon love, He walked with humility and freely gave of Himself; He is the model by which we define our breath, by which we accept unconditional love, by which we plan our path and accept our purpose; Christ is our faith by which we define our person. Success is not measured by wealth or popularity, success is measured by our definition of self, by our ability to reach beyond human wants, serving, instead, human needs...the need to be loved, cared for, listened to, treated with dignity, respected as a child of God. Think about the next move, will faith take the lead or will human concepts drive your action?  Defined not by our clothes but rather by our action, what action will you will to let define you?  Compassion, generosity and love need to be the forerunners of every action for they are faith’s most trusted companions, they are that which shapes our character.  Instead of subscribing to the manifest of societal expectations, we need to subscribe to the heart, subscribe to the soul prioritizing faith and grandstanding unconditional love, in doing so, we define our person as a person of love, genuine love willing to reach beyond our own insecurities that we may spread the infectious love Christ modeled for us.  Commercials, ads they seek to define us, seek to brand us when all we need is the Father’s branding of love to make our journey clear, to make our journey paved by faith and lined in love. How do you choose to be defined?  By  human standards with a definitive end or by the Father with an everlasting love?  The definition of our being...solidified by loving actions as accepted by the heart, as followed by the soul. Define your person in the Father, define your person in Christ, let your person be defined by the Spirit in living purpose and speaking the Father’s love.  Define in faith, be defined by faith.