Identity crisis is something we all may come across in one way or another. A South African black man “that I know”, dated a white girl and one day she was worried when she asked him, “if we get married and have children, what shall they be? White or black? ”. He sheepishly answered, “coloured”.
I watched a documentary on SABC TV where coloured people were discussing their identity difficulties and vibe they get from other citizens. They also seemed to give an impression that other “races” do not have such difficulties but I believe everyone does. What about a black child adopted by a white couple? Is it exciting to be called “coconut” (brown on the outside but white on the inside) because you cant speak Zulu? African culture recognises everyone in the community as family. Do you know how harshly it hurts to be discriminated by your own black people? 
What about a child born of a Ndebele man and a Sotho woman living in Limpopo? What about a Caucasian born in Africa like their ancestors before, if they visit Australia and say “I am an African” ? What about African Americans? (does it even make sense)? I heard the reggae artist, Burning Spear, singing about his identity that he may not be born in Africa but his African identity would not be taken away from him. If I, dark-skinned as I am, were born in Japan and my name was Oskizimurutsi Samsung, what mocking names would Africans call me when I tell them I am Japanese? 
We have “white weddings” and “traditional weddings”. We have rugby, cricket and soccer sports. If a person of one colour befriends other people of different skin colour, they are accused of being traitors under the umbrella of “us and them”. A black man cant even drink tea with milk and a white woman cannot eat chocolate in the presence of these 2 cents critics. (which is difficult to understand for us who don’t understand segregation because we never lived under those environments. I personally, get confused when I find myself in a racist situation. It takes time for me to recognise what it is, because it doesn’t make sense! racism is like when someone start saying that all tall people are superior….of course there are always some three fools smoking weed that will follow them but I don’t get it). Even in Church, hypocrites spit on your face if you date someone of different colour, culture or church (denomination or building). Some people hate their own background and associate themselves with the cultures that seem ‘superior’. On heritage day, people dress in beautiful traditional clothes to be proud of their heritage and some to identify themselves. But who and what is an African? For one to be secured and accepted in societies, what must they identify themselves as ? Who am I , what am I and What is my heritage?
In the Bible, I see the same identity problem in the church history. As a chosen nation, the Jews always did not want to associate themselves with Gentiles (non-Jews). The Samaritan woman at the well gives us a clue of this (John 4:9) , Moses was criticized for marrying a black woman (Num. 12:1), Peter had a problem to eat and sit with Gentiles in the presence of other Jews (Gal. 12:2) .( It’s easy to do it in private, isn’t it? but when your click come and give you the ‘us and them’ look … hey! ). Church history shows breakaway structures to form denominations until today, people identify themselves with certain church organisations (basically the traditions). But what is the will of God concerning identity and heritage?
In Genesis 1 and 2, we get a clue that God created everything for a purpose. I also understood from Myles Munroe’s “Corporate Purpose” that God created everything that needed its colour, size, geographical area, type, time, desires, gifts or talents, etc. for its specific purpose. Therefore, the first thing is that we are all created for God’s own purpose and no one is a mistake nor is anyone created to be like somebody else. (after hearing this, it became easier for me to believe that everyone has a small head than to believe that I have a big head, I am a special design. God needs a big head to write these offerings. I will never allow anyone to make me believe they are better than me).We are supposed to be different and diverse but our difference is to help us reach one goal which pleases God. We should have just got this point from the difference in men and women. We are successful (fruitful) and living together in harmony even though we all don’t understand women (wink at the boys). God likes things different and diverse but one. That’s why I find it hard to believe the potrait of Heaven being all white everything from clothing to buildings. Come-on, God is more creative than that! We are different and can not do without each other.
Rom 12:4-5 NLT “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, (5) so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
1Co 12:12-18 NLT “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. (13) Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. (14) Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. (15) If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body. (16) And if the ear says, "I am not part of the body because I am not an eye," would that make it any less a part of the body? (17) If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? (18) But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it.”
I personally believe that though I embrace my African heritage (because God placed me in it for my purpose), I would rather be more proud and identified with the One who is the wealthiest and has existed forever than to be identified with a 200 year old heritage started by a person like me.
I would rather have my confidence be in the fact that I am created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26) and that God is Spirit (John 4:24), so if I am His child (image), I must be a Spirit breathed into the body (Gen.2:7) and hence the body or the outside is not the main thing. Hence even the most important family must be my Spiritual family than the biological one.
Mat 12:46-49 NLT “As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him. (47) Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and Your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to You." (48) Jesus asked, "Who is My mother? Who are My brothers?" (49) Then He pointed to His disciples and said, "Look, these are My mother and brothers.”
I heard of the Middle East idiom that says “The blood is thicker than milk”. If I get sick and the doctors find someone in Mexico with my blood type, they are more valuable to me than all those that look like me but have different blood type. You may look like me on the outside but for us to be related, we need to take the blood test. My brothers and Sisters… you are… by the blood of Christ!
Pastor Vic. Mundy taught us that Paul in his very educated and true Jew high status (Acts 22:3), he found it all being worthless as compared to the cross. (Gal 6:14 NLT “As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died.”).
The cross is where we find the blood and the blood is what makes me family with you and valuable than the one I shared my mother’s milk with.
My Heritage :- Rom 8:17 NLT “And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory…”
Gal 3:29 NLT “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you.”
Biologically, the term race does not apply to humans because there is only one human race. All humans belong to the same hominid subspecies called Homo sapiens . Nor is there scientific basis for any racial or ethnic hierarchy. It seems very foolish to base your identity on the ethnic group or to allow people to pressurize you to conform to their earthly standards that contradict with God’s. The flesh is temporal and it will remain here but we (spirits) shall live forever. So, Mat 6:19-20 NLT "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. (20) Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
Focus on the Heavenly inheritance than the earthly one.
The “Us and them” mentality got to go! We are all one through Christ.
Rom 10:12 NLT “Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him.”
Gal 3:28 NLT “ There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Col 3:11 NLT “In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us.”
I am proud of my purpose as a Venda man and South African but way above all, I am proudly a son of God, who is one with all of you through Christ. Thanks for your prayers! Let us renew our minds in this regard!
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