Day Five: Our Identity

I walked into the store carrying my return and waited for the cashier to finish with another customer. Apparently, I wasn’t in the right spot, but I didn’t know that at the time, so when I stepped up to the cashier, a lady raced toward me and blindsided me with rudeness. She hand-blocked me out of the way and told me to go to the back of the line. It got worse from there, with others joining in my reprimand. It was like I had a kick-me sign on my front. The whole thing unsettled me. 

The feeling that I had a kick-me sign on my front instantly brought to mind a different symbol. A proverbial name tag that, though unseen, was real and stayed with me all the time. Perhaps a name tag that reads kick me, unworthy or insignificant. No, if I’m going to be defined by anything, it’s an eternal-truth name tag that reads precious, sought after, and beloved. These descriptors are not according to me but are determined by God. And that’s a game-changer—a heart-changer.

So as I stood with that big rug in my arms, I chose compassion, even though I didn’t completely feel it. Extending mercy did not mean I was rolling over with an invitation to keep belittling me, but mercy was an opportunity for empathy. 

And with that, mercy’s compassion became real. Unsettled was replaced by settled. And I could breathe easier. I was no longer caught in a need to prove or defend myself. Why should I allow a minor inconvenience to steal peace or make me see the folks traveling alongside me as less than what they are—people of great worth, soul-bodied beings?

Over the first few days of the Peace Project experiment, one aspect of purposefully practicing thankfulness, kindness, and mercy is the immediate peace that enters situations when we let these practices take over. We aren’t asking for peace; it shows up and surprises us.

I think part of it comes from mercy’s grounding. It’s as if mercy shows us our eternal name tag every time it’s tapped. Because mercy’s compassion, grace, and forgiveness can only come from their source—God, who has determined our worth and our identity, these unspoken reminders of settled identity naturally ignite when we practice mercy. That’s what ushers in peace and joy.

Where have you been surprised by peace when you practiced thankfulness, kindness, or mercy today?