Week 2: Who Are You?

Last week, we explored our images of God, our understanding of who God is. In week 2 of Holy Adventure, Bruce Epperly invites us to take a closer look at ourselves. Who are we? What are the deepest truths of our identity and selfhood? Biblically speaking, we get our first clue early, in the very first chapter of the very first book. Genesis 1:26-27 states that on the sixth day of creation "God said, 'Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness;' . . . So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Somehow unlike anything else in creation, the biblical text affirms that we were endowed with the imago Dei, the image of God. Wonderful! So . . . what does that mean?

In asking the question, we are in good company. Theologians have been debating the subject for centuries, and still have not come up with one definitive answer. Epperly believes this is a good thing. "There is a virtue in the vagueness of the Genesis passage. . . To define God's image too precisely leads to categorizing some persons as less than fully human if they do not meet our definition of God's presence or human uniqueness." (pg. 62) I know from experience what Epperly means. I once heard a preacher declare that the image of God was fully realized in Adam and Eve as one unit. For him, the imago Dei was complete only in the context of a marriage relationship. Where, I wondered, did that leave me and all the other unmarried persons in the world? This very narrow definition excluded an awfully large percentage of the population! I knew then as I know now that this could not be right. Each and every one of us is created in God's image, no exceptions. What difference would it make, Epperly asks, if we made a conscious effort toward each person with whom we come into contact to remember that she or he bears the image of God?

At times, it is hard to believe that certain people are created in God's image. It is perhaps most difficult, though, to believe it of ourselves. We know ourselves so well, we think, all of our imperfections and dark thoughts. To see ourselves as bearers of the divine image as much as Adam and Eve, Sarah and Abraham, or other biblical characters is hard at times. We may hold ourselves to a different standard than the people in the Bible, thinking they existed on some other spiritual plane. But Epperly reminds us, "Divine revelation did not end with the closing of the biblical canon or a chosen set of scriptural texts. . . We are the Esthers, Pauls, Marys, Josephs, Peters, and Mary Magdalenes of our time." (pg. 64) Who can you relate to as you read the Bible, and how does your own holy adventure mirror his or hers? How is your journey different from hers or his? The people of the Bible were all just as human as we are, and yet God's light shone through them. The same is true of us, whether we believe it or not. "Though we may doubt our abilities and hide our gifts, God's light still shines, constantly illuminating and transforming our lives even when we are unaware of its power. . . God's light radiates from within our lives, and there is nothing we can do about it." (pg. 65) As Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 5:14, we may try to dampen our light, but we can never completely hide it or put it out. What a comforting thought.

Though some things about us -- like the fact that we reflect the image of God -- remain the same, in other ways we are constantly changing and, hopefully, growing. Epperly reminds us that even Jesus, our most perfect example of humanity, grew and changed. Luke 2:52 tells us, "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and humankind." It may be strange for some of us to think of Jesus learning and growing spiritually. It would be easy to think of him as having always been perfect, not needing to learn anything. But, Epperly states, "It is obvious from Luke's gospel that even Jesus needed to grow in his relationship with God. He needed to claim, and then push beyond, the deepest spiritual experiences of his people. The Gospels suggest that Jesus continued to grow spiritually throughout his life. Jesus constantly explored new possibilities of God's presence in his ministry of healing and transformation, and we need to do the same." (pg. 68-69) As evidence of Jesus's growth, Epperly points to the story told in Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30 in which a foreign woman comes to Jesus asking him to heal her daughter. At first Jesus refuses, even comparing her to a dog, which would have been the normal view of foreigners in the culture in which he grew up. The woman is persistent, however, and as Epperly puts it, "the foreign mother's faith and persistence convinced Jesus that divine healing is available to everyone. As a result of this holy encounter, Jesus grew in his embrace of ethnic diversity and in his understanding of the scope of his mission." (pg. 69) In the same way, Epperly encourages us to continue growing in our embrace of diverse ideas and people.

Another way in which we grow is through confronting temptation, as Jesus did throughout his life. While some believe that God purposely "tests" us at such times, Epperly's opinion is that "temptations are not directly sent by God to test our character but are the natural result of our personal growth and our openness to growing in stature and vocation." (pg. 73) Jesus's temptation in the wilderness after his baptism is a perfect example, Epperly believes, of how the good can be the enemy of the best. Jesus was not tempted to do evil, but to do things that seemed good -- to demonstrate his extraordinary power, to grow his number of followers, to be a ruler and leader of people. In our own lives, it is such temptations against which we must be on guard. Those things that may seem good, and especially seem easier, can distract us from the best things which will challenge us and allow us to grow into the people God dreams we will be.

Stagnation is also our enemy. When we grow comfortable with where we are in life and fear anything new, we sabotage our own evolution as persons and derail our spiritual journey. Epperly cites the story in Luke 5:1-11 of Peter and his friends on a fishing trip. This was their job, their livelihood. They had been doing it for years and certainly had their own techniques that had worked for them in the past. During this night of fishing, however, their tried and true methods had been unsuccessful. They caught nothing. From the shore, Jesus called out to them to try something new. They must have been exhausted, and anxious about trying an untested strategy. But when they did, they caught more fish than the boat could hold. Where in your life is Jesus calling you to deeper waters, uncharted territory?

The apostle Paul is one who was certainly called outside his comfort zone. After an encounter with the risen Christ, he went from persecuting Christians to being one of their greatest missionaries. Again and again, he reached out to those outside his circle of familiarity and found things in common with them. "Though Paul was Jewish by ethnicity and Christ-centered in theology, he believed that the reality present in Christ inspires the wisdom residing within every faith tradition. Christians can embrace the practices and insights of other faiths, precisely because persons of other religious traditions also participate in the holy adventure of God's omnipresence. While we travel different paths and receive different insights from God, we are all inspired by the Holy and Loving One." (pg. 85) What do you think of Epperly's statements? How do you think they would sound to someone outside the Christian faith?

Here are a few of Epperly's daily affirmations for this week. If you like, choose one each day to repeat to yourself as you go about your life, and see how it changes your perspective on your own identity and that of those around you.

I am created in God's image.

(Name another person) is created in God's image.

I am the light of the world. I shine for God.

You are the light of the world, _____. (affirm another person)

I am continually growing in wisdom and stature.

I embrace diversity and complexity with love and understanding.

God is with me in every struggle.

God guides me during times of temptation.

In Christ's mind, I am connected with all things.

Christ's energy flows through my body, mind, and spirit.

Behind every failure, God has placed a new dream for me.

I courageously venture into deep waters with God as my companion.

I live and move and have my being in God.

The infinite energy of the universe inspires and revitalizes me.

As you go through this week, living into your own holy adventure more and more fully, remember who you are. Here are some of Epperly's questions for discussion, which you can respond to in the comments. We have a great conversation going, and I hope it will continue!

• What does it mean to you that we are "created in God's image"? Where do you sense God's image in yourself and others? What keeps you from experiencing God's image in your life?



• What do you consider your greatest gift? In what ways do you nurture that gift from God? In what ways do you hide it?



• How do you experience God's light in your life? How often do you experience God's light in others?



• As you seek to grow in wisdom and stature, what new ideas are you struggling with? What is too far out for you to venture? Where is God challenging you to launch out into deeper waters?



• What are your greatest temptations as you explore your personal growth?



• How do you find "wilderness times" of quiet prayer and reflection in the midst of your busy life?