Fish Identity vs Human Identity

Fish identification is important as an angler as it often is in step with keeping with your local fishing regulations. I'm not saying all regulations are perfect, as my local area they certainly aren't, BUT regardless having regulations is better than having none. But this article isn't about fishing regs, it's about Identity.

You need to be able to identify your fish when your fishing. Is it a Coho Salmon or Chinook Salmon? Well you better know before you bring out the bonker! Is it a wild fish or hatchery fish? Well you better know as perhaps those wild fish could be detrimental to the run of that system. Learning fish identification is part of being a maturing fisherman.

So what on earth does this have to do with human identify and worldview? Well I'd argue the same point, if fish identification is part of being a good fisherman, I'm propose to you the same thing about human identification. Discerning our identification is part of being a maturing human.

Left is a Wild Chinook and Right is Hatchery Chinook Salmon

Identity??

I think this begs a starting question, what is human identification? Does identity define what means to be human? Where does identity come from?

We are living in a time where the answer to this question is constantly changing. Some worldviews have a subjective and changing definition of what it means to be human. What it means to be male or female. What is a male or female for that matter? Our culture is hijack definitions and continually creates new identities.

If only we had a some sort of objective source of truth on such topics. A definitive answer that's not subjective and constantly changing. Hmmm...

3 Ways we Define Identity, only 1 Works

Identity is how we understand ourselves. A self-understanding based on what we believe gives us value and meaning. And if the above definition is (objectively) true about identity, I see 3 ways in which today our culture is defining our own identity: Others (outside), Ourselves (inside) and God.

Others Decide Our Identity

Our world and culture is continually influencing the way we think about ourselves and how we view our identity. I'll confess there have been times in my life where my job was my identity, I believed it gave me value and made me important. In 2008 market crash, we saw horrible videos of people jumping off buildings because they lost everything financially. Money was their identity and when that was gone what else did they have? They thought they had nothing left to live for.

The sad thing is if the world and others tells us what our identity is that can change. Today you are the hero, tomorrow your the villian. People who live by this will constantly be striving for that approval from the world. This identity is based on what we do, and in order to maintain a healthy identity we need to live up others criteria. How exhausting!

Whether job, money, spouse, children, power, whatever the focal points are that provide that value to you, these can all fall apart, go away or even put unattainable expectations on you. These things, jobs or relationships are may not even bad, but we can't give our identity over to them, it's not sustainable!

I Define Myself

This approach to identity is more like "F*@! what people think, I define myself" mentality. We look inward at our own desires and make our own identity. But is this a good idea? When we look internally, how are we basing this identity, in what truth, facts or reason are we making these decisions for ourselves? Typically, looking inward results in allowing emotions or how they feel at the time. We are emotional creatures and our emotions can change, today we are the hero, tomorrow again we feel like victim, or the villian. But again, is this a good way to look identity? Rooted in changing emotions or feelings, similar the outside view this is not a stable identify or even sustainable one.

One big problem with defining our own identity is nobody other than yourself can know who you are. You can share that with others, but you won't allow for others to change or challenge that identity. It's oppressive or dangerous to you. This in itself is again problematic, especially if that identity is changing at a rapid succession. This type of person lives by being a victim or hyper sensitive in waiting to be triggered by anyone or anything that questions their present view of self.

I'd say the largest problem with defining yourself is the pressure it puts on you. It means you have to do the work and it all falls on you to figure out who you are. If we use some self-awareness and are honest we should see somethings in side of us that are not good, and perhaps conflicting. That's a healthy awareness to know these things, but if we acknowledge that how can we responsibly be the ones defining our identity? If we're honest, we just can't. And I've good news, because thankfully we we not created to.

God Your Creator Defines You

If you subscribe to a worldview that doesn't include room for a creator then this one may not be an option for you. However, I'd like to posit that there is a God, and that He created everyone with a purpose and identity. I'd also like to suggest that this is the best of the 3 options and the only one that is rooted in something objectively true, it's firm and unchanging. I believe it's not only true but it's the only identity that offers true peace in your life, more on that later...

Made in the Image of God

In the Bible at the very beginning of our story, God speaks creation in to existence. And it says that God created man in his own image. This statement here is incredible and can't be passed over quickly. This statement and fact has blown the minds of the angels and men since the creation of Adam.

Genesis 1:26–28

[26] Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

[27] So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

[28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

I see a few things in these verse, first God created only 2 categories of human beings: male and female. There are no third, fourth any other categories.

Second, being created in the image of God we have similarities to the nature of God. I couldn't possibly detail the magnitude of all that this entails, but I'll simply say this, humans were the only creatures made in his image, so that makes us particularly special. It says in the Bible even the Angels were amazed.

Lastly, God not only gives identity but also a charge and calling with that identity and that's to have dominion over his creation and to multiply. As God has made us in his image, he's given us the opportunity to participate in the creation process as well. What an identity and opportunity we have!

Live in Your Identity

So as I opened up knowing fishing identity is important it not only helps you keep within the fishing laws, it also helps the fish flourish. I'd also suggest that in better knowing the fish you should have a new appreciation of the millions of fish species, their lifecycles, their ecosystem and their nature. You become a better outdoorsman.

The same is true (and infinitely more important) with understanding our own identity. When we know where we came from, what our value is, what we're called to do... we can have purpose, we can have hope, we can have peace. Don't let the culture or yourself define your value, you were given an identity even before you were born. And not only we're you given that identity you were purchased at a high price which I won't dive into here, but will here. Live in the identity given to you by your creator, Jesus.

Blessings Jesse