identity

My friend killed somebody. Not often that a person gets to say that, and to be honest, I don't really enjoy saying it myself. Sadly, it is true. A friend of my killed one of his co-workers last week. Now he is in jail and his wife and two beautiful children are at home without a husband or a father. I can only imagine what caused him to go to such an extreme. I got to talk with him last week. I continue to be struck by what he did. I often wonder if it has anything to do with where his identity lies. He worked for the same employer for fourteen years. Did he define himself by what he did for a living? How many of us do that as well? Next, it seems that he took steps to "take control" of his life. In taking control, he actually lost all control. I guess my point is that my identity does not lie in what I do for a living, or even in the things I do. My identity lies in Christ, and that cannot be taken away from me. No matter how bad things get, no matter how mean people are, no matter any of it... my identity cannot be threatened nor taken from me. Next, I am reminded of Matthew 16:25. Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." I believe that this is one of those moments that Jesus was talking about. My friend tried to save his life and in fact lost it entirely. He has lost his wife, children, job.... and so much more. My pray is that in the midst of it he will find his life in Christ and as such find his identity in Christ as well.