大象传媒

Good Morning.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made, says Psalm 139. And I believe we are stunning mirrors of the mystery and beauty of God. But so often we鈥檙e reduced to labels. Black. White. Male. Female. Trumpean. Brexiteer. Millennial or Baby boomer.

Who are you? When all the labels are stripped away. Who am I?

The Jewish theologian Martin Buber argues that whilst our culture talks about 鈥榝inding oneself鈥� and 鈥榣oving ones self鈥�, it鈥檚 a nonsense to think of the 鈥榮elf鈥� in isolation. 鈥淭he 鈥業鈥欌�� 鈥� he says 鈥� 鈥渙nly exists in relation to some other.鈥�

In essence it鈥檚 all about community.

I am beautiful, of value and worth, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. But it鈥檚 not just about me. Who am I in the face of injustice; when I watch others鈥� suffering and do nothing, when I am silent if people are reduced to labels or if I do not treat others as I would have them treat me? Who am I when I am not loving my neighbour?

Prejudice and putting people into boxes is not bringing your whole self to the situation. Not seeing the imago dei 鈥� the 鈥榠mage of God鈥櫬� - in others. Not seeing past their labels. In the community of faith described in Galatians, all the labels are stripped away: neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I pray that we may look beyond those labels and see each other for who we are. Amen.