What Are You?

Hi, and thanks for joining us for this daily encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

My name is Xochitl Dixon. I share a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey in today's reading, What Are You? When I walked into the ice cream shop with my five-year-old biracial son, the man behind the counter glanced at me and stared at my child.

What are you? His question and harsh tone triggered the all-too-familiar anger and heartache I'd experienced growing up as a Mexican-American who didn't fit stereotypes. Pulling Xavier closer, I turned toward my black husband as he entered the store.

With eyes narrowed, the store clerk completed our order in silence. I prayed silently for the man as my son listed the flavors of ice cream he wanted to try. Repenting of my bitterness, I asked God to give me a spirit of forgiveness.

With my light but not white complexion, I'd been the target of similar glares accompanying that same question over the years. I'd struggled with insecurities and feelings of worthlessness until I began learning how to embrace my identity as God's beloved daughter. The Apostle Paul declares in Galatians chapter 3 that believers in Jesus are all children of God through faith, equally valued and beautifully diverse.

We're intimately connected and intentionally designed to work together. When God sent his son to redeem us, we became family through his blood shed on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. As God's image bearers, our worth cannot be determined by the opinions, expectations, or biases of others. What are we? We're children of God. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Galatians chapter 3 verse 26 to chapter 4 verse 7. So in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female.

For you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. What I am saying is that as long as an heir is under age, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.

The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, the spirit who calls out Abba, Father. So you are no longer a slave, but God's child.

And since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Let's pray. Father God, please help us see ourselves and others through your eyes. Help us respond as loving and compassionate peacemakers, confident in our worth as your beloved children. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.