My girls and I love to watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It is a great story of good versus bad. Humans, with advanced technology, fight for peace in the world, but have unknown and ever developing superpowers mixed in. Many of the characters hit a defining moment where they realize that who they thought they were is not completely true. The story pulls you in as you try to figure out who is really good, who has been influenced by the alien brain washing, who has been given super powers, and how will everyone respond when they or someone close to them has to choose who they will become. A regular theme through the show is that people are constantly having to choose their identities based on what is happening in them or the people close to them.
Most of us have faced an identity crisis in our lives. Maybe it was when your friend asked you to do something that you weren’t comfortable with. Maybe it was when you got your first ticket. Maybe it was when you went to bed the first night in a dorm room or apartment. Maybe it was when you had your first or third or 20th heart break. Maybe it was when you got that phone call about the loss of someone close to you. We all have had moments of identity crisis, the moment where we start to question who we are, who will we be, if we have value or not, or if we will can still impact the world. In past generations, the average person had 5-7 moments of identity crisis in their entire lives. Lifestyle and opportunity choices were limited, employer and family leadership was more designed and committed for long term employment and relationship, culture was more steady and reliable. Once people knew who they were, their identity was more likely to be solidly in place.
The new identity crisis hitting this generation is deteriorating the foundation of the most valuable resource that our culture has – people. If you have spent any time with people under 25, you realize that something isn’t right with them. Most older people label it as irresponsibility, laziness, entitlement, or lack of motivation. The truth is the reason that the next generation is not engaging life and impact like they could isn’t because they are all lazy freeloaders, it is because they lack confidence of identity. This next generation does not who they are and the generation teaching them has not helped them navigate the minefield of this culture, but instead have used outdated and linear models to train them. The next generation realizes that these methods of thought and reason aren’t very useful in the world that they live in and only contributes to the rising identity crisis.
I believe that this new identity crisis is not based on people being told who they are or who they are not, but because of all the possibilities of who they could be. I know as child almost everyone is told that they can be anything they want to be, but it wasn’t until this generation that it was true. This generation has more resources, more potential, more opportunities than ever before and the choices can be overwhelming. Kids in elementary school are being asked what they are going to be when they grow up and then are put in an education track that matches up with that. Students are given opportunities to take a myriad of languages and learn numerous technological skills before they reach high school. Students are encourage to take college classes in high school (free credits) and many are graduating high school in three years and getting a bachelors degree in three years or less while others are taking their time by taking badminton, theatrical design, yoga, early release and taking 5 years to get a 2 year college degree. Both types of people experience a multitude of choices for career, lifestyle, location to live in, and entertainment every month. With so many options it is difficult for this generation to know who they are and for many even scarier to declare who they are and who they will become. The numerous options that this generation has opens the door to the voices of, “Are you sure that is what you want?” “What if you pick wrong?” “You have plenty of time to decide.” “ Do you really think you can make a difference, you can’t even figure yourself out.” “Why don’t you just wait and see what happens and decide later?” “You will never amount to anything.” “It’s too late.” When these voices start taking root, something more valuable begins to be eroded – a person’s identity. Once the foundation under our identity gets eroded it is only a matter of time before the bottom falls out and we can find ourselves, hopeless, without purpose, and motivation.
We are in the middle of the next identity crisis of our world. Even though people are appearing successful with more opportunities and experiences than ever before the core of who we are, why we exist, and what we live for is under attack and has suffered significantly. Here is the cool thing, I believe God knew that this day was coming. I believe He was excited for this generation, not because of the chaos we live in, but because of the potential that has been birthed in this generation. I believe God wrote the Bible for this generation. I believe we can examine the Bible with the context of our current culture in mind. I believe Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” are words of power and strength for this generation. I believe that when the Bible says that God knew us before we were born, He meant it. I believe that God gave this generation the gift of numerous choices about who they could become because He knows the power that gets unleashed when we consciously and purposely make CHOICES. The foundation of Christianity is about God loving us so much that He sent Jesus His son to die on the cross for our sins so that if we CHOOSE to believe in Jesus and ask for His forgiveness we will be forgiven. When you choose to give your life to Christ, power is unleashed in and through you. God is a God of choices – He loves us so much that He gives us freedom to choose (within the boundaries of His directions). I believe that the new identity crisis hitting our culture can turn from a problem into an accelerated movement of God by simply helping this generation know how to hear God’s voice and then have the courage to make and declare decisions for their lives.
The identity crisis that is facing this generation that has the potential to negatively mark it, may be what defines it in history as the moment the world changed.
Battling the Identity Crisis
- Don’t rely on just your own understanding – choose to learn from people
- Don’t do life alone – choose to do life with people
- Don’t hesitate – choose quickly
- Don’t worry about messing up – choose boldly
- Don’t settle for being your own savior for your mistakes – choose Jesus to forgive you and take the weight of your mistakes.