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Who Am I?
I can't say that I define my self only differences or similarities. I'm sure I compare myself to others all day long, sometimes conciously, sometimes not: "He reminds me of me when I was that age." "I just finished reading that book." "I'm glad I don't have to deal with the stress of his job." "I wish we could landscape our yard that way."
Sometimes the things I have in common with others makes it easy and comfortable to be around them. Other times, I'm drawn to others by a sense of wonder and curiousity because we are different in so many ways. Alternately, I sometimes distance myself becasue of the similitaries or differences.
These similarities and differences are typically superficial, external and/or measurable. However, when I am able to slow down, be with people and practice deep listening, I remember some things are common to all of us. I believe we all want to know we are loved and inversely we fear that we are unlovable. I believe we yearn to live a life of purpose and meaning. I believe there is a hole within each of us that cannot be filled by anything other than that unnameable, unknowable, mysterious Other, we happen to call 'God.'
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My sense of self is derived from the relationships I have, either positive or not. How I engage the people in my life and my inner struggle with my behavior at any moment in time plays a major role in who I believe I am and who I want to be. I know that my discovery of myself has only just begun, and I am just now experiencing that I am a child of God.-Julie Still
ReplyDeleteI cannot count the number of times I told the kids on the Community School Playground, "it is not OK to make yourself feel better by making someone else feel bad" It seems to me that this is just one way we differentiate ourselves from others. But we should be able to recognize differences and celebrate them -- judgement and envy are not required! As Christians, do we not say we are in the world but not of it? Do we not hold up the early church as a model -- "see how they love one another" -- with the obvious implication that this is somehow different than the way others behave. Claiming those differences is a good thing, but not if we build a wall that keeps others out and separate.
ReplyDeleteI'd add that last Sunday's scripture in the morning service (1 Peter 3:13-22)said, "For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey..."
ReplyDeleteThis is why the apostle's creed says, "he descended into hell." If nothing can separate us from the love of God, then it'd be good for us to remember that nothing can separate "them" from the love of God either.