The Sunday School teacher waved a twenty-dollar bill, and asked for volunteers to participate in a sing-off in order illustrate whatever point he was making. I was volunteered by a few people in the class, as was another singer. The class suggested songs for us to sing, and I sang a bit of “Who Am I,” a then-popular song by Casting Crowns. I gave a brief, heartfelt performance.
The lyrics are typical of the religious environment from which they were created. The idea of the song is that humans only have worth because God chooses to love us, and that it’s a wonder God chooses to do so. Take a look at the first verse:
Who am I, that the lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?
There are religions whose beliefs are based on a foundation of self-abasement. There’s nothing good about humans, and we can do nothing good on our own. My entire religious background is steeped in these kinds of beliefs. However, since I left church, I’ve learned a few things about God.
Consider newborn babies. They come into the world with pure spirits, minds untainted by their environment.
Think about the creation story. The story begins with creation being good, meaning the human story began with goodness. If you believe God created everything good, shouldn’t that include us?
Life is short and fragile, so instead of focusing on being a flower quickly fading, maybe it would be better to focus on the idea that we’re meant to bloom and be beautiful and give off a sweet fragrance while we’re here. Maybe we’re meant to discover the good gifts inside us and live in such a way that we give them away. We can’t do that when we’re wallowing in how awful and unloveable we are.
