Think back to when you were in high school. Do you remember what it was like to navigate all the different friend groups? Do you remember trying to figure out where you fit in? And then there's the ultimate question every high school student asks... Who am I? This question of identity has become increasingly more difficult for people to answer. Between social media accounts, cultural "influencers" and advertisers, students are being exposed to a lot of different ideas.

That's why we have to go back to the Word of God. Who does God say that we are? The answer to that question is not just one singular thing, but rather several different things shaped by the story of the Gospel. Here is what I mean:

We were made from the dirt. (Genesis 2:7) We are simple, fragile and common.
We are uniquely created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27) We are special!
The image of God in us has been marred by the fall. (Genesis 3:13) We are sinful.

So are we completely worthless? Are we just sinful dirt? Keep reading!

Jesus saw us in our sin and still chose to love us. (Romans 5:8) We are loved!
Jesus gave himself for us by dying on the cross. (Galatians 2:20) We are valuable!
Jesus invites us to be part of his family. (Ephesians 1:5) We are royalty.
God sent his Spirit to live within us. (1 Corinthians 3:16) We are the temple of God.

The list can go on and on! But what I want you to notice is that everything good about us is because of Jesus Christ! Our value and our worth are because of who Jesus is and what he has done for us. We have to help our students to remember that their identity is found in Jesus.