Just Who Do You Think You Are?

I have been a follower of women’s sports since my own girl played high school basketball. She was dubbed the Tasmanian devil because she was feisty, quick, and could handle the ball around the much taller girls. Women’s basketball is still in my bones.

That’s why I enjoy NCAA Women’s basketball. This season Caitlin Clark shattered dozens of NCAA and Big Ten records throughout her four-year career at Iowa. With all her accomplishments, Caitlin has scored the most points all-time by any college player — men’s or women’s — in NCAA history, with 3,951 points.

Caitlin was the first overall pick for the professional team, Indiana Fever, where she now plays. Biggest problem for Caitlin is the snarkiness of other professional women’s basketball players who aren’t pleased with Caitlin’s notoriety and say, “Who do you think you are?”

I suspect that Caitlin might look in the mirror asking that same question. “Who am I, really?” And you and I might ask that question of ourselves, too! That reflection holds the key to how we see ourselves.

So, what do you see? A vibrant, intelligent, confident, heart-of-gold, faith-filled believer, and capable person? Or do those eyes reflect doubt, thinking you’re not enough?

Our self-image shapes everything. It’s like looking through a pair of glasses that we see the world. If the lenses are dirty or cracked, our view becomes distorted. I know. I just had to get a new pair of glasses for those reasons.

You’d think at my “golden” age, I’d be over comparisons. But, I still like compliments and encouragement. I advocate for thinking positively but many of us still struggle with a negative self-image. Me included.

We’ve bought into lies about our worth. But if you’re reading this, you haven’t given up. You’re not a failure. Success doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a journey, a mountain to climb, step by step.

Back to Caitlin – she didn’t become a success overnight. Behind every “overnight success” are years of hard work, countless failures, and relentless persistence. And the same for you and me.

We are a one-of-a-kind original! There’s never been, and never will be, another you or me. We are leaving an irreplaceable imprint on this world. Our strength can lift others. Our love can change lives. Our existence matters more than we realize.

There are no “nobodies” in this world. God created us all as “somebodies.” The key is to realize that we are valuable and important. Our Great Creator showed off when He made us unique and irreplaceable. So, let’s wear our name tags proudly.

Ephesians 2:10 — “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”