Well, I guess I've decided to start a blog. I don't really know what prompted this intro into public diary-land....but we'll see where it takes us, shall we?
I was reading an article the other day that might explain the impetus behind what, to me, seems like a knee-jerk reaction to start a blog. It's this article from Relevant Mag and while I definitely don't agree with everything the author says, some parts really hit home.
I find it interesting she says it's a "distortion" to think of being alone as being "no one's favorite." I'm not sure how to speak to that, but I might come up with something in a bit
....here it comes, "The pain of rejection in singleness comes in the unbalanced nature of relationships. I have people who are my favorites. They are my dearest and nearest friends—my top priorities outside of Jesus. The thing is, many of them have husbands and children. And so, I’m not their favorite. These people are my family, but I’m not their family. And that’s painful."
I'm really unsure about this... I mean, in one sense being alone means I'm not my friend's "favorite." But then again, in another sense, the true friend sense, I am someone, if not many people's, "favorite." I think Christianity is sometimes overly focused on the marriage relationship. Ok, maybe not overly focused, because I think it's important, but I also think other relationships are important. Super important. One person, every your favorite, cannot fulfill everything you need in life. That's truth. Sometimes I think Christianity forces, if unintentionally, this idea that a married couple (along with God) is all you need... and maybe throw some children in there for good measure.
I think the author gets to it a bit here, "There is no person on earth that should have the power to speak into us value or worth in such a way that it secures our identity." Agreed. Our identity comes from many different people and circumstances... and I suppose it also comes from within. But I think the author also falls flat on his/her face here, "He says that when affirmation from people adds to our sense of self and security, it robs us of the ability to be satisfied in Him. And I didn’t make that up—it’s what He said. If we want to know why we aren’t satisfied in Jesus, here’s His answer: we receive affirmation from men and we don’t seek it from God." Show me where Jesus "said that." I think what God really meant was that we should not form our identity in such a way that ALL of our sense of worth comes from others... I don't think it would make us feel good (and I'm not talking in a terrible, guilt-ridden, feel-good way, I mean it really does make us feel good and we don't have to feel guilty or modest or whatever to accept affirmation from people) if God didn't somehow wire us for that kind of interaction. I mean, wasn't Jesus affirming to people?
Again, this goes back to what I firmly believe to be the purpose of humanity: to be in relationship. Any relationship. That's the point. To care for others. To have others care about you. To love. To be loved. By men, by women, by your wife, your husband, your friends, your parents, your coworkers, your partner, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, and especially your God. All relationships matter. All of them. Done.
No comments:
Post a Comment