I was thinking the other day about how many different roles a person has to fill in their life. Take me for example: I’m a woman, a daughter, a wife, a mother, and a child of God, to name my most basic roles. Then if you add in the more “exotic” roles, I could describe myself as a former teacher, a writer, a crocheter, a knitter, a tatter, a sewist (that is so much nicer than ‘sewer’! ), a gardener, a sculptor, a reader, a cleaner, and the list could go on and on.
Some of my roles are my “default” mode and are constant in my life. Others of the roles are more random and possibly temporary and fluctuate from week to week or day to day. I’m also not as accomplished at some of them as others, either. I’ve been sewing and crocheting for most of my life, so I can pretty much make whatever I feel like making. I’ve been sculpting for a much shorter amount of time, so I’m not as good at making mini babies as I will be after I’ve had more practice.
Some of my roles are harder for me to claim. For example, it is sometimes hard for me to identify myself as a writer. I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember, but I haven’t written a complete manuscript or gotten anything published, so I feel like I’m not really a writer. But if I embrace the role, wouldn’t that make me “own” it more? I also think of myself as a “former teacher” because, in my “previous life,” I taught Kindergarten. I haven’t taught in a classroom since before my oldest was born 10 years ago, so I’m a former teacher, when in reality, I teach every day. I’m not a homeschooler, but I am my children’s first teacher and they are always learning from me and how I respond to situations.
As a Christian, I need to remember that I am a reflection of Christ and need to make sure that He shines through me. I have to keep “practicing” my role so that I’m accomplished at it and people will be able to see that I am different than the general population. If I actively choose to identify with Christ, then I will be “owning” that role also, and I think that will make me more passionate about following Him in my life.
What roles do you fill? Do you have some that are easier for you than others?