In his book, "Answering God," Eugene Peterson writes, "By ourselves, we are not ourselves."
I've been chewing on the phrase all afternoon. In the culture in which I live we have personal water craft, personal DVD players, personal computers, personal digital music players. We champion personal rights (while, I might add, we avoid personal responsibility, but that's a blog for another time). We even invite people into a personal relationship with Jesus.
But I think Peterson is onto something. From some moment very near the beginning of human history God said clearly, "It is not good for the man to be alone." God made us to be in relationship with others. One of my favorite passages is from Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus where he says, in effect, "Until we're all mature ain't none of us mature."
By myself I can convince myself that I possess all kinds of sterling qualities of character. In relationship with others, the mask is torn away and I see more clearly how much more I need to learn of humility, patience, kindness, gentleness, etc. By myself I am a paragon of virtue. With others I can be a pain in the rear.
My real self can only be known in the context of others. That is why God created all of us. It is why he gave us families, and neighborhoods and churches. And it is why we need to stop absenting ourselves from the very people who will help us be ourselves. They will both make us who we are and show us who we are. And we return the favor.
By ourselves, we are not ourselves.
2 comments:
that's a tough one for those of us who are solitary at heart to deal with. It's funny but I've been thinking about these things lately. It would be foolish to deny that almost all true discipelship happens as you engage the community of faith, what you dowhen no one is looking or when you are sure you can't get caught I think might reveal more to a person wanting some self examination. But I don't think it's so much a thing of putting up a facade (maybe...sometimes) as it is focus or maybe strength in numbers. When I'm with the brothers, somewhere just below the surface of my conscious mind I'm thinking "Jesus!" and that affects the way I do everything else. It's not that I'm faking it, but that that part of my being is encouraged and strengthened, so I act on those impulses. When I'm alone and I resist temptation or do the right thing, it is more often because I want to honor my Maker. That I've learned something that has changed me.
I've just started thinking on thee things so there are probably many flaws in these ideas, but I'm not worried, I know that the one who started a good thing in my heart will perfect it in His good time.
other paul
I think my emphasis is more on the fact that as we are with people we find out what we've learned in those alone times. Jacque Ellul said, "Every declaration that has never been put to the test is suspect." This is one of those both/and areas of the Christian life. We need others to challenge and encourage us but we also need time alone with the Savior. But the "we are not ourselves by ourselves", for me, is more about seeing if I've learned the lessons. It's "easier" to be spiritual if I don't have to deal with people. :)
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