In August 1983 I was an incoming freshman attending orientation at Fairmont State. There was a process to put all the kids at orientation into groups so that we could connect with one another. Imagine about 250 college freshman in a parking lot, each one yelling out their birth month: "August!" "November!" "January!" and so on, over and over. And in my case, "March!" The goal was for everyone to find their birth-month-group. Eventually it worked. After being divided into these twelve groups we did all sorts of games and activities. So, there I was in my group, with dozens of other people, from many different places, guys and girls, and all sharing one thing...we were all born in the month of March. Really? Is that it? Is that all I am? Is that who I am? I'm March! Honestly, that's a bit of a let down.
Many of us in Western society are being put, or putting ourselves, into groups. Categories. Boxes. Tribes, if you prefer buzzwords. Usually this is based on some aspect of our lives. Examples include gender, political affiliation, skin color, sexual preference, religion and on and on it goes. And we are being led to believe that the label on that category is what defines us. That group might become our identity and we might begin to live out of that place, as if that is all there is to who we are.
"Madison Avenue" utilizes these categories to send us targeted advertising. Candidates for elected office use these categories in their talking points. Journalists include these group labels in headlines to grab our attention.
The problem with all of this is that slowly we are being reduced to one small facet of our personhood, and this diminishes who we truly are. Additionally, it creates division. These categories that we embrace can separate us, and over time we may perceive hard lines and barriers between one another. It becomes "Us" and "Them."
In the U.S. the earliest leaders of this nation wrote about the equality of our citizenry. Nearly 200 years later, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about his dream, and it did not include these categories, but rather the commonality of character that could rally us all. These are but two examples of an ideal, an essential way of living together. But, because we are imperfect beings, we have missed the mark at times. However, missing the mark does not mean we stop trying to move towards the very worthy goal.
At our core, we are human beings made "in the image of God." It is this core truth that gives every person value, that which unites us all, and ultimately that which provides our true identity. Regardless of any other traits, habits or affiliations, we are all so much more than those various categories or labels. The essence of every person on this planet is the same, and that ought to center us, free us, and allow for connection with others. It ought to inspire us to unity, not division.
Certainly, there are things that make us different and individual. The most profound is your fingerprints. Something uniquely yours. Additionally, we don't all sound the same, look exactly the same, enjoy the same activities or think exactly alike on issues. But those differences do not define our core identity which is something greater, something shared by all - our humanity.
There is something deeper still. It is, in fact, the deepest of all things because it stems from our spiritual connection to the One who created us in His image. God created us for relationship, with one another as human beings, but more importantly relationship with Him. Jesus Christ took on humanity in part to demonstrate God's desire to connect with us in relationship. As we embrace and follow Jesus, we enjoy genuine love, authentic forgiveness, lasting peace and a host of other things. What makes those things so special is that they are from God, and therefore they are perfect and unable to be found anywhere else. And through our relationship with him, we are able to beautifully reflect those special gifts to others.
As human beings, made in God's image, every single person has value. We can not ultimately find that value by identifying with a particular group. And we don't have to, because we already have it. And likewise, so does everyone else. The question is, will we value one another or will we continue to separate ourselves in ways that diminish who we are as human beings?
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