As I rounded a corner on my walk and glanced into a grove of small trees, my eyes opened wide as quickly took a breath. My heart beating rapidly, I stealthily crept closer. Quickly snapping a picture, I texted multiple friends with the declaration…

Look what I saw on my walk!

A baby owl!!

My excitement built as numerous friends shared my joy and excitement. Skipping along with awe at my unexpected discovery my husband chimes in. Could that be a robin?

I was dead certain it was an owl. Could I have mistaken the identity of this little bird?  I texted the picture to my brother to get his opinion. ARGH. My bubble was burst. It was a baby robin.

My shoulders slumped. Now I had to text my friends and fess up to my mistake. I really wanted it to be an owl. That’s way more interesting than a young robin. I was surprised I could so easily confuse what type of bird it was. I blamed it on the bad lighting, after all, he was expertly hidden in the trees.

My mistake got a few laughs from my friends and a few rounds of disappointment as well. And even a few who questioned and still thought it might be a baby owl. We all wanted to believe I saw something special that day. A glimpse to lift our spirits and put a spring in our step. An encounter to share with others throughout our day.

But if we dig a little deeper into the disappointment, there is more to the story. The mistaken identity was no coincidence. This was an encounter with Jesus. He was trying to get my attention because I had begun to place my identity in what I was doing instead of who He says I am.

We can fall into the trap of placing our identity in the things we do instead of who Jesus says we are. It’s easy to absorb the worldly expectations we see on social media and in the shows we stream. They show us images of perfect families, happy singles, joyful marriages and what looks like meaningful friendships. The media often presents us with a set of false messaging that wreaks havoc with our self-image and self-esteem.

I had fallen into the trap of comparing myself with others achievements. I had forgotten who Jesus says I am. Jesus used mistaken identity of the young bird to get my attention.

Jesus used this encounter to point me back to my true identity in Him.

Friends, your identity is not found in what you do or don’t do. It’s not found in the image you portray to the world. It’s not found in who other’s think you should be.

Jesus uniquely created you for this life. He is transforming you into the person He designed you to be. Not to fit into a worldly mold to be like everyone else, but to shine as His child.

You are enough!

You are loved!

He did not make a mistake when He created the beautiful you!

Be on the lookout for an encounter with Jesus today. You might be surprised by what you see.