We often identify ourselves by what we do. The roles that we’ve taken on stepped into wife, mom, teacher, run, our boss, military wife, church volunteer, small group leader. Your role, friends, is not who you are.
What about some of the roles we seem to have stepped into that are as natural as breathing? Maybe you are the one who always comes through. The one who always takes care of everything and everyone; the quiet one; the funny one; the perfectionist; the successful one; the deeply emotional one; the smart one; the adventurous one; the wounded one; the victim; the one who plans for everything that could possibly go wrong; the one who always understands; the one everyone just uses. If you’re still not sure where your false self is at work, think back to the last time perhaps you defended yourself or something you said or did by saying, “that’s just how I am!” Or maybe, “it just always happens that way.” What were you talking about? That might be where a false self is lurking.
So where do you hide? What are some of your fig leaves? Maybe busyness? It’s almost a badge of honor, right? “How are you doing?” “Oh, my gosh, I’m so busy. You have no idea how busy I am.” And maybe it’s your daily routine, your serving, perfectionism. They are all different kinds of leaves, all different methods of self-protection, ways we hide and avoid.
