John 8 is a chapter filled with people trying to prove who they are. Again and again, the people surrounding Jesus make claims about their identity, their beliefs, and their relationship with God. They stand before God Himself in ignorance and insist they know better because of who they are.
“We are Abraham’s descendants.”
“We have never been slaves.”
“God is our Father.”
But Jesus repeatedly pushes past who they say they are to who their lives reveal them to be. Their actions are telling a different story than their words. Their actions reek of superiority. And He doesn't hold back when He declares to them: "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires" (Jn 8:44). Jesus knew whose child they were regardless of what their lips declared. He knew it by their pattern of living.
We, too, can become very invested in proving who we are. In declaring who our father is without picking up His character. We can be tempted to carry out the desires of the devil while speaking in the name of Jesus.
I am a Christian.
I believe the Bible.
I go to church.
I know the truth.
Defending God, correcting others, winning an argument, pointing out error—these things make us feel good enough, worthy enough, and superior to those around us. And we tell ourselves we are doing it for our father, and perhaps we are, we just don't realize which father we're reflecting.
Jesus is clear in John 8: anyone can say that they follow God, but the most powerful evidence of whose child we are isn't in what we say, but in how we live.
If our Father is loving, are we becoming more loving?
If our Father is merciful, are we becoming more merciful?
If our Father is truthful, are we becoming people of truth?
If our Father is patient, are we becoming patient?
If our Father is humble, are we becoming humble?
If our Father welcomes the broken, do broken people feel safe around us?
We aren't meant to spend our lives saying that we belong to God. We're meant to spend our lives becoming like God. We can carry His character into the world. We can let them see something of Him in us. How will they know we are His children? We don't have to wonder or debate, because on this point Jesus was clear: "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (Jn. 13:35).
This week, let's be intentional about examining our pattern of living and ask: whose character am I reflecting? In prayer, let's ask God to reveal to us which areas of our hearts He is waiting to transform.
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