I stumbled across an interesting internet question this morning: If someone not from NWI asked you where you’re from, how would you answer? When I lived in Indy and Ft. Wayne, the answer was simple: name the city. The answers posted varied, but the most common were either near Chicago or south of Lake Michigan. There were a few references to Gary as the home of Michael Jackson, and Valpo and Orville Redenbacher popcorn. Others stuck with NWI or “Da Region.”
The reason for the favored answers is understandable. Chicago is a world-class city and Lake Michigan is one of the largest freshwater lakes on earth. Mentioning either provides a quick point of reference. Yet there’s something else happening in these answers. When we live in the shadow of something larger, our identity can become absorbed into it. We become known not for who we are, but for what we are near.
That got me thinking about another question. If someone who is not a Christian asked you, “Why are you a Christian?” how would you answer?
Many of us might be tempted to answer similarly. We might point to our church. We might mention our denomination, especially if it’s part of our family history. We might describe values associated with Christ that we admire. While those things are important, they aren’t the center of our identity.
A Christian isn’t someone who lives near Jesus. A Christian is someone whose life has been transformed by Jesus.
The people of Northwest Indiana don’t become Chicagoans simply because they live nearby, no matter how many Cub games we attend or Bears games we watch. In the same way, we don’t become Christians because we attend church, grew up in a Christian home, or share certain moral convictions. Those things may place us close to the faith, but proximity isn’t the same as identity.
When the apostle Paul described his life, he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
Paul’s answer wasn’t about what he was near. It was about who had changed him from the inside.
The best answer to the question, “Why are you a Christian?” isn’t a theological statement or a denominational label. It’s a testimony.
I am a Christian because I encountered Jesus Christ. I am a Christian because Jesus died to forgive my sins and clear a path to God. I am a Christian because Christ changed my heart and gave me hope, purpose, and life.
Northwest Indiana is more than a place near Chicago or south of Lake Michigan. It has its own communities, history, and character. Likewise, Christian faith is more than living in the vicinity of a church and religious “things.” It’s a life defined by a relationship with the living Christ.
So today, think about how you define yourself and your life. Are you defining yourself by what you’re near or by who you are? Are you defining your faith by institutions and traditions or by Jesus?
Prayer: Jesus, forgive me for the times I have found my identity in things surrounding my faith rather than in you. May my life reflect your transforming presence so clearly that when others ask why I follow you, my answer naturally points to your love for all and to your work within me that has changed me. Amen.
