Who Are You?

I love being my husband's wife! I am honored when people make the connection of who I am.
"Oh, you're Coach Dole's wife."
"You must be Mrs. Dole"
"Are you Charles' wife?"

I have heard women lament "losing" their identity when they got married. I don't think that we "lose" our identity when we marry, but what if we do? The Bible gives us the "one flesh" mandate in Genesis. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Gen. 2:24 ESV That entails a whole lot more than the sexual relationship. We should be one in purpose, vision, flesh, spiritually, ~ everything.

My Beloved works at the local grocery store. They have a stock clerk who can never remember my name, so she calls me Mrs. Charles. She always apologizes, but I love it! It is who I am. Other than being known as a child of God, the best thing I can be known as is the wife of my Beloved! Is he a perfect man? By no means. In fact, he has plenty of faults. ;-) But, he is the one I was created for, and he loves me - with all my ugliness. I decided a long time ago that God called me to be a wife and mother. If that is all I am known as, then so be it. I love it when young people come up to me, and say, "You're Coach Dole's wife, aren't you?" or, "Are you Will/Levi/Garth's mom?" These are my God-given responsibilities and priviledge! That is my identity. Being your husband's wife is your identity - embrace it!

Marriage is to be a model of Christ and the church. Should the church want an identity separate from that of her Lord? If she isn't easily identified as Christ's bride, then what is she? Nothing. In the same way, what am I if I am not easily identified as my Beloved's bride?

I am an extension of him and his household. The things I do should reflect positively on him. People should know that if I am involved in something, my Beloved has given his blessing, and by proxy he is involved as well.

So, today I ask you, "Who are you?"