We call ourselves human beings, but it seems like we put a lot more stress on our doing. It's actually difficult to describe ourselves without talking about what we have done. We can talk about careers, hobbies, families, and it all seems to revolve around what we do.
I've been meditating on human being and human doing.
If I want to know who I am, I tend to look at my circumstances and choices and activities. These external things shape me into who I am. I'm a pastor, a farmer, a neighbor, a reader, a gardener, a hiker, a kayaker. From this perspective, being is a result of doing.
But what if I reverse that? I can start with my identity. I am a creature made by and loved by God. I was born in North America in the 20th century. I am a son, a brother, a husband, a father. I have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. He tells me how precious I am to him. Jesus even died for my sins and conquered death for me. He forgives me. He promises never to leave me. He calls me his friend.
Knowing who I am, then, shapes what I do. I can let the life in me flow out through my decisions, my career, my family. Who I am overflows in what I do. This is the perspective of a human being.
If what I do determines who I am, then I must constantly produce. I must always prove my worth. I have to keep busy. Failing to work can jeopardize my identity.
It is much better to be grounded in my identity first, and let my life flow from there. Knowing who I am, in Christ, lets me receive forgiveness and lets me rest. That sounds like real life.
God in his mercy helps me untangle my twisted thoughts, so that I can see my true self in him. And this, I am discovering, is a life-long process. And it is a process that leads to life.
