IDENTITY THEFT

 

A few years ago, I had a mild taste of identity theft.  It seems that a doofus little teenager, with no money of his own, used his hacking powers for evil instead of good.  He stole my credit card information to purchase $500 worth of teenage-type music and a Playstation.  Wicked, wicked ignorant boy, who thought he’d never be caught!  Apparently nobody ever taught him that his sin would find him out (Numbers 32:23).  I am very thankful that my credit card company was diligently watchful and determined that these charges were abnormal for me, the unwicked sweet little old lady, who has an entirely different outlook on what constitutes good music.  It took 8 months for the company to annihilate the charges from my card, thus leading me to decide it’s better to bargain only with cash, marbles, and jelly beans.

It has occurred to me that, just as I was miffed to find someone misusing my identity, probably Jesus isn’t all that crazy about people with a “form of godliness” (2 Timothy 3:5), a/k/a “tares” (Matthew 13:24-30), who misuse His name for their own ego and pleasure.  It reminds me that I was also once a "tare."  And it also reminds me that, even now, I must be aware of my own motives, of not using Your name for my benefit instead of Your glory.

Thank You, my Jesus, that You graciously gave Your identity to me, so that I'm no longer an identity-thieving "tare."  I have the privilege of calling myself by Your name.  It's not to make me look good, but instead to be fruitful, making You look BEST to the yet-to-be-saved people that You put into my life.  I'm eternally thankful that You have given me the right to be called a child of God (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26).  How blessed I am to be able to say, hallelujah, what a Savior You are!