We are called to be...what, exactly?

Having celebrated the festival of the Baptism of Our Lord and the baptism of baby Esther this past Sunday, there's been a lot of talk about what it means for us to be called God's children. It's something we often speak about in relative terms, but what does a life lived as a child of God really entail?

Certainly, not everyone has a healthy or positive relationship with their parents. If someone is raised by demanding parents who always expect performance and perfection, they might come to believe this is what God expects of them (and let's be honest, many do see God this way). If someone is neglected or abused by their parents, they might think God is a divine puppet master, out to get whatever he can get out of us, and if we don't contribute accordingly, God will discard us like old clothing. And if a person has parents who indulge their every whim and think they can do no wrong, that person might see God as a passive figure who simply sanctions every action they take. What, then, should we think about this child-parent relationship that God invites us into through our baptism?

I believe our relationship with God is meant to model a truly healthy and loving relationship between a parent and their child- whether that child is birthed, adopted, or otherwise. God chooses us to be God's children not in spite of who we are but because of who we are. God doesn't desire to be in relationship with us because we're the best and brightest, or because we can bring God fame and fortune. God chooses us out of love. We are loved because we are created in God's own image. (Genesis 1:27) We are loved because God has looked upon all humanity and desired that each of us should be in relationship with God. (John 3:16) And this relationship is not based on what we have to offer God, but rather what God desires to offer us. (Titus 3:5) God offers us love, hope, grace, forgiveness, and peace through Jesus Christ. God offers us a relationship that is unhindered by our own sins, faults, and failures because Christ has redeemed us on the cross and shattered the barrier that death once placed between God and his beloved children. (Romans 6:4) And God offers us constant encouragement, support, and strength through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8) Our relationship with God is that of a parent who loves and supports us in each aspect of our lives. Certainly, God acknowledges our sins and makes them known to us, but God also forgives and heals us if we but ask. Our God is a God who desires us to his children and asks for nothing more than faith in return.

We then, are called to live out our relationships with others based on our experience with God. We are sent into the world to be people who love others because they are already beloved of God. We are sent to love those we meet because of who they are and not what they can do for us. We are called by God to forgive them their faults and failures when they but ask for our forgiveness. And we are called to support them in living our their own calling as children of God- whatever that may look like, no matter how different it is from our own.

So, as we enter a new year, I pray that we will all take time to focus on our relationship with God- and our relationships with one another. I hope that we will experience ever more deeply the unconditional love, healing, and support of a God who calls us beloved children. And I pray that we will open ourselves to the ways in which God is inviting us to show others that they, too, are beloved children of God, and they are loved by us as brothers and sisters through our baptism into Christ.