Have you ever thought what it’d be like to have a secret identity? I certainly have. I always wondered what life would be like being a superhero. Saving the world and then secretly vanishing away into an alter ego living out a normal life where colleagues and friends would be concerned about where all my bruises and cuts suddenly appeared from. Or worrying about why I’m fatigued or distressed all the time, or more importantly why I’m always vanishing when the city is in danger!
Must be fun having a secret identity.
The myths, the legends, the heroes that rush to the face of danger. No one aware of who they really are outside of their heroic (or even villainous) duties. Being accused of being criminals because they hid their face or being called cowards because they refuse to reveal who they really are.
Those secret identities.
Revealing to no one, unless absolutely necessary.
Whether it’s putting on a mask or adjusting your personality many superheroes have traditionally had secret identities – protecting themselves from their enemies and hiding their true selves to avoid being judged by their loved ones.
We may believe it’s the superheroes and supervillains with secret identities, hiding themselves away from judgement by their peers and society and protecting their loved ones from their enemies, but what if we also have our own secret identities?
Is following Jesus your secret identity? Is being a Christian your secret identity?
Many of us may try and hide our secret identities. Do we tell our friends and colleagues that we are followers of Jesus? Do we proudly proclaim that we are Sabbath keepers, or do we shy away and use random excuses to avoid breaking the Sabbath with our friends?
Do we act differently outside the church, to the point where people would be left shocked when they find out our identity as followers of the Most High?
I have a secret identity. An identity of following Jesus. A secret Adventist identity.
A vigilante or superhero revealing their identity to their friends, their families and maybe even to the public may be a daunting task, revealing our identity as followers of Jesus may be just the same.
Will people accept us? Will people be happy with our ‘alter ego’? Will we have to change our whole lifestyle as a result of revealing our ‘secret identity’? Will people think we’re part of a dangerous cult that needs to be rapidly eradicated?!
We all probably have a secret identity. Not to protect ourselves from some supervillain (or at least I hope not) but maybe you’re using your secret identity to protect yourself from your friends and your loved ones.
Maybe it’s time to reveal our identity. Maybe it’s time to let go of our secrets and reveal who we really are.
Reveal boldly and proudly that we are followers of Jesus. No longer living two separate lives, but one life. One life as a faithful servant of the LORD.
Who will you reveal your secret identity to?
WRITER: Timothy Pinzone, attends Epping Seventh Day Adventist Church, NSW.