For the Strength of Youth: Making Choices: Lesson 173
Our Divine Identity and Purpose
I Am a Child of God
Visit “Studying the Scriptures” to help prepare yourself spiritually to learn.
A young woman in your class seems to do a little of everything. She plays football (soccer), gets good grades, has followers on social media, and sings in the Church choir. At home, she watches her younger siblings when her parents are away and spends time with her grandparents. She is a very patient and understanding friend. But what you don’t know is she sometimes feels confused about who she really is. Is she a footballer, a student, or a social media influencer? It can be hard to figure out.
Think about your life. What labels do you place on yourself? It may be good to record these somewhere so you can look at them later. As you study, look for how the Lord wants you to see yourself. Let the Holy Ghost help you to see yourself as Heavenly Father does.
Lesson Purpose: To give you the opportunity to reflect on your divine identity and purpose.
Learn How
The most important label
President Russell M. Nelson wrote about the importance of how we label ourselves:
Labels can be fun and indicate your support for any number of positive things. But if any label replaces your most important identifiers, the results can be spiritually suffocating. I believe that if the Lord were speaking to you directly, the first thing He would make sure you understand is your true identity. My dear friends, you are literally spirit children of God.
No identifier should displace, replace, or take priority over these three enduring designations:
Child of God
Child of the covenant
Disciple of Jesus Christ
Any identifier that is not compatible with those three basic designations will ultimately let you down. Make no mistake about it: Your potential is divine. With your diligent seeking, God will give you glimpses of who you may become. (Instagram, July 20, 2022, instagram.com/russellmnelson)
Remember, the Holy Ghost can help you feel and know that you are a child of God (see Romans 8:16).
Defining words. Knowing the meaning of words and concepts can deepen your understanding. For this lesson, it may be helpful to know the following definitions:
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Identity: Characteristics that determine who or what you are
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Purpose: The reason something (or someone) is created or for which it exists
You can learn more about your divine identity and purpose from the experiences and teachings of people in the Old Testament. Read Moses 1:3, 6, 12–13, 16–18. Look for how Moses’s knowledge that he was a child of God informed his responses.
Make a note next to verse 13. In the note, complete the following sentence:
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Knowing I am a child of God can help me …
Read and tag four or more of the following passages as “divine identity.” Although these passages are about people in Old Testament times, the truths can apply to you as well.
Seeing others as children of God
Seeing yourself as a child of God can change how you view and treat yourself and others.
President Russell M. Nelson pleaded with us to respect all of God’s children when he said:
Each of us has a divine potential because each is a child of God. Each is equal in His eyes. The implications of this truth are profound. Brothers and sisters, please listen carefully to what I am about to say. God does not love one race more than another. His doctrine on this matter is clear. He invites all to come unto Him, “black and white, bond and free, male and female.”
I assure you that your standing before God is not determined by the color of your skin. Favor or disfavor with God is dependent upon your devotion to God and His commandments and not the color of your skin.
I grieve that our Black brothers and sisters the world over are enduring the pains of racism and prejudice. Today I call upon our members everywhere to lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice. I plead with you to promote respect for all of God’s children.
The question for each of us, regardless of race, is the same. Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? (“Let God Prevail,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 94)
divine identity, let God prevail, respect
How would seeing others as children of God help you to follow the Lord’s counsel as shared by President Nelson?
Now what?
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles extended the following invitation to youth:
Many of you start your day by standing in front of a mirror. Tomorrow, this week, this year, always, pause as you look at yourself in the mirror. Think to yourself, or say aloud if you like, “Wow, look at me! I am awesome! I am a child of God! He knows me! He loves me!” (“Promptings of the Spirit,” Liahona, Nov. 2023, 45)
Consider following Elder Stevenson’s suggestion right now! While it may feel awkward or uncomfortable at first, there is real power in saying these truths aloud.
Listen to or read the lyrics to “I Am a Child of God.” As you do, listen for words or phrases that testify that you and others are beloved children of God. Write another verse to the song, using what you have learned from the scriptures, Church leaders, and the Holy Ghost.
Share Your Thoughts
Lesson Purpose: To give you the opportunity to reflect on your divine identity and purpose.
Share the following with your teacher or class:
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The verse you wrote to the song “I Am a Child of God.”