Identity Theft

We live in a world where Identity Theft is the newest kind of theft. With a few bits of personal information such as name, date of birth, and social security number, strangers can take on our identity. They can take money out of our accounts. They can open new accounts in our name and not pay the bills. They can even take out loans. In the electronic world we live in, they essentially become us.

This Identity Theft affects the way we live. It can takes years to sort out the purchases and accounts that we made from the fraudulent ones made in our name and it can be difficult to rebuild our credit scores. Since Identity Theft can be so difficult to correct after it has happened, most of us take a lot of precautions to prevent it. We shred anything with our name on it, we put passwords on all our accounts, and we guard our social security number as if our lives depended on it. Identity Theft is something most people are concerned about but perhaps it's not as new as we think it is.

Identity Theft has been something that people have struggled with through out the ages. When Israel was conquered by other empires, many of the Jews would be dragged into exile where the conquering empire would do whatever possible to erase their Jewish identity. The Jewish elite would often be taught the language of the conquering empire, they would be given new names, and they no longer had access to the temple in Jerusalem.

In order to preserve their Jewish identity even in exile, many Jews would keep strict food observance, as well as observance of the sabbath, even though they were not able to go to the temple or offer sacrifices. Additionally, many Jews would live in community with other Jews in exile. They would observe special holidays together and would continue to tell the stories of their corporate Jewish history. These historical stories became even more important to tell and retell. These stories reminded them of where they had come from and who's people they were. These stories reminded them of God's previous acts among them and that God is still God even outside of Israel.

It occurred to me recently that, like our forefathers in faith, Christians also struggle with Identity Theft. We are bombarded by a variety of language and cultural differences that are counter to our Christian identity. We are told over and over again that money is how we keep score, that looking out for ourselves, and getting even is the only way to succeed in life. We're told that demeaning language and harsh words are the only way to gain respect. We're told that sex, drugs, alcohol, and the latest electronic gadget will make us happy. With all the pressure coming at us from every angle, Christians struggle with how to live out their Christian Identity in today's world.

So what is it that we can do to combat this Identity theft? What can Christians do to support one another in living out their identity as God's children? In many ways, this is where being part of a Christian community comes in. Having other Christians around to encourage us, to share our corporate story, and to hold us accountable helps remind us of our identity as God's children and that we are called to live in a particular way.

There are many different ways that we can guard against our Christian Identity Theft. What are your thoughts? What can we do to combat this Identity Theft?