Secure & Sent: Leadership for Church PlantersНамуна

Becoming Secure

In Mark 10:45 Jesus gives us one of the most vivid descriptions of his mission. It’s a powerful statement of intent—it’s all about what he will do and how he will do it. It’s important to note, however, that Jesus doesn’t begin with a statement of intent. Instead, he begins with a statement of identity.

Jesus refers to himself with the cryptic title “Son of Man,” from Daniel chapter seven—one of the chapters from the Old Testament that many of us studiously ignore due to off-the-wall apocalyptic visions of beasts and monsters. At its core, though, Daniel 7 is about a human figure, who after an intense season of suffering ascends to heaven on the clouds and is exalted at the right hand of God.

Why does all this matter to us? Because the only way Jesus could be secure enough to live in such total self-giving love was because he knew who he was. He knew that his Father would exalt him in the end, so there was no need to attempt to do it now. He was free from the insecurity that drives all of us to make life, and ministry, about ourselves.

The question for us is are we secure in our identity in Christ or driven by insecurities and a longing to be championed and celebrated by everyone else? When we live and lead from insecurity it leads us to a place where we need a gift from everyone else. We need to be acknowledged, appreciated, and admired. We crave it, even demand it. When we live and lead from security—as Jesus did—then our lives become a gift to everyone around us. We are free to give away appreciation, acknowledge the contributions of others, and champion the potential in those we love and lead.

Discovering who we are in Christ and becoming secure in our God-given identity won’t just change our lives, it will change the lives of everyone around us.