The central element of the Christian life is baptism - the waters that unite us to the death and resurrection of Jesus. I offer you this little devotion, as a way of rooting your day in the gift God has given in baptism.What we have is two problems
- An Identity problem
- An Identification problem
My Identity
We have many things asking to be a part of our identity. Profession, family, politics, friendships, ideologies. Some of these are good things, some or not. But our problems start when those identities become more important than our baptismal identity. Before I am anything else, I am God's beloved child. That supersedes everything else. Child of God.
My Identification of Others
Our many identities affect how we view others, and how we define them and interact with them. Are they the opponent, the other side, wrong, sinful, hateful, etc, etc. Disagreement is a part of life, and a part of the life of faith. But when we look at others, we are called to primarily to see their baptismal identity. They may be many things, but in our eyes they are first God's beloved child. And that should shape every word we say to and about them.
You are God's beloved child.
They are God's beloved child.
Now then, children of God, how shall we live together?
