Defining Identity

Kids (and adults) sometimes struggle with defining their identity—who they are and how they want the world to view them. You may see preteens “try on” different personalities every other week as they emulate friends or social media influencers. In this week’s Brite lesson, kids learn about Solomon who could have found his identity in riches or power, but in this portion of his life sought God’s wisdom and blessing. Look for opportunities to emphasize to your kids who we are in Christ and how that matters more than any worldly identity. In today’s culture, these kids need constant reminders that the world can’t define who they are—they are loved by God and created in His image.

Here’s how we discussed this topic and how you can discuss it at home: 

Discuss: If someone asked “Who are you?”, how would you describe yourself?

Discuss: Who determines who we are? Who determines our identity?

Discuss: What does God have to say about that?

Say: You may have heard people say, “You can be anyone you want to be.” That may be true for some things. For instance, you can pick your interests or what music you like or what sport you want to play. Also, your likes and interests might change over time. But God tells us there are some things about who we are that will never change. The world may say you were made by accident, but the Bible says God created you uniquely and wonderfully. The world may say you are on your own, but the Bible says you belong to God. The world may say you aren’t good enough, but the Bible says that God deeply loves you. First John 3:1 says: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. Even when the rest of the world is confusing and it’s even hard to understand ourselves, we can remember that we are God’s precious, loved children.