The Bible (as I hear it) is concerned primarily with life’s enhancement. This is not just my life’s enhancement but the enhancement of life for every person. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). “Abundantly” for me means becoming as human as one can be. My life and your life is meant to be an abundant one—a humanized life.
Our humanity is not something we are, it is the potential of what we are continually becoming. Becoming humanized is what the faith pilgrimage is all about. To be humanized means accepting our weaknesses, our powerlessness, fragility and brokenness. Life is filled with pain, suffering, injustice, and death—and to live life abundantly means we accept this about ourselves rather than pretending the opposite (which is what we often do). Two books may be helpful: Johannes Metz’s Poverty of Spirit and Jean Vanier’s Becoming Human. We often forget that Jesus says, blessed are those who know their need (of God), who mourn, those who are of a gentle spirit, those who hunger and thirst to see right prevail, those who show mercy, those who are humble, those who seek peace, and those who are persecuted for the sake of justice (those who are becoming humanized).
A Christian, William Stringfellow wrote, “is just an exemplary (representing the best of its kind) human being, a mature and free person, a humanized human being…” Theologian Paul Tillich suggested this humanized human being was manifested in Jesus the Christ and can be actualized in our lives through the work of the divine spirit.
What then would be the characteristics of the abundant or humanized life? Carl Roger’s coined the term “fully functioning person” and defined it as one who is in touch with his or her deepest and innermost feelings and desires and who has unconditional positive regard for themselves and others. That works! So does Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
No comments:
Post a Comment