Spirit-Filled Relationships
One of the best ways we can practice generosity is within our relationships. We can all count the relationships that we have. These relationships are present in the very places where we live, work, and play. Who are these people? How are we being generous in the relationships we have been given? This is exactly what we will be discussing this month at Evergreen. Relationality is so central to who we are. We were made for community and community was made for us. How are we investing in community today? As we dive into the topic of community, it is important to start at the beginning. It begins with our identities. Who are we apart from our work? Who are we apart from our relationships?
What does God say about our identity? Many of us might say our identity is who we call ourselves. It is our name. Or maybe it is wrapped up in our beliefs. Merriam Webster states how identity is “the distinguishing character or personality of an individual.” Dr. Aiden Greg is Professor of Psychology in South Hampton, UK. He states identity is “the totality of beliefs people have about themselves.” Identity becomes the way that we define ourselves to the world. Identity is how we see ourselves but also how we present ourselves to others. It is how we present ourselves in our different relationships. However, if we are not careful, identity can become an idol in our lives.
Christopher Yuan says that our self-identity is shaped by family, friends, and culture. Some find their identity in work, in sports or hobbies, or in the latest trending activism. Some find their sole identity in being a parent. Still others find their identity in their sexuality. Do these substitutes for identity truly describe who we are or only what we do or experience?
Our identity begins with Imago Dei.
Genesis 1:26 says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
The whole person is created and defined in the image of God. The whole person is created in the likeness of God. This likeness simply means we are created to be like God. We are created to fully, completely represent and imitate Him in our whole lives. This means identity, at its core, is a representation of God.
The nature of the image of God has been given two purposes. God calls human beings to create, and He calls human beings to community.
Genesis 1:28 says, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.”
Just like we spoke about in the topic on work, God delights in what we create. We are co-creators with God. He appreciates what we create. In what ways are you using the power of creativity in your life? And if you are not, in what ways can you use this gift? We were created to create.
Second, relationality is integral to the identity of God, and this, in turn, is deeply central to the identity of human beings. He wants us to relate with one another. We were created to be seen and loved. We were made for community.
1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
John 15: 12 - My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
God desired for humans to relate to one another in a covenantal and intimate way because that is what He desires in relationship to us. As God and Jesus are one, He also desires that we become one. We cannot understand our personhood apart from our relationship with God. The two are interrelated.
When we are in Christ, God considers us His Beloved, and this is a beautiful new name we receive.
- Esther Fleece Allen
When we know who we are and whose we are, it changes the way we relate to one another. It affects the way interact with others. God considers us His Beloved, and He brings us into community. He knows we need community. It is important. We were not built to be alone in our thoughts or our feelings. We were built to be known and loved. This month, we are going to dive deep in what it looks like to be known and loved by those in our community.
Reflection:
Reflect on your identity. Reflect on the labels you put on yourself. Who does God say you are apart from what you do and your relationships with other people? It’s not about people, it’s about God. It’s not about what you feel is real, it is about what God says is true.
What are some identities you have lived into?
What are some relationships you can invest in right now?