Beloved

I’ve been thinking about how so many of us in the NiT community are dealing with loss of job, sickness, depression, and just generally crappy times right now. When this many people are dealing with tough times, I can’t help but think that a breakthrough is on the horizon. I truly feel like there is something good down the road for all of us, and just like when a woman is laboring (travailing) through the pain, in the end that horrendous pain brings forth new life. When things have been as insane as they have been for me, it gives me hope to think that there is something down the road to look forward to. There just has to be.

I have been reading a book called “Life of the Beloved” by Henri J.M. Nouwen. My former pastor did an entire study based on this book, but I never took enough time to delve into it myself. Now it has been the right word at the right time. I needed to be reminded that we, as people, are the beloved of god (whatever your definition of god is). In the Bible, when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, it says that the the Spirit came down upon him and a voice said, “You are my Beloved; on you my favor rests.”

Is it not too much of a stretch to say that we are as beloved as Jesus was in God’s eyes? If you do not believe in a god, then do you see yourself as the beloved of your own heart? The point is that everytime you feel hurt, offended, or rejected, those feelings are not communicating the truth to your inner spirit. The truth is that we are beloved, called, and here for a purpose. This truth is not simply an inner truth that emerges from our center. It is a truth that is affirmed by the relationships we have and the good we accomplish — in our life’s work, our families, our relationships. With as many setbacks as I have had, I can still see that this has proven to be a running thread throughout my life. That truth being that I am special. I am beloved.

No matter what happens.

With all of the messages spewing forth from the media — and each other — trying to convince us that we are not good enough — and we need whatever bullshit idea or product to be worth anything — we must believe the idea ourselves that we are beloved. We all have amazing gifts. Gifts that are stifled by our own insecurities. It would be easy to use our gifts and talents for impure or selfish reasons, but I believe that truly our innermost being wants to be pure and good. I believe that if we live by tapping into our true essence, we will be living to the fullest of our potential.

If you are taking the time to write your viewpoints and feelings onto a blog, chances are there is a part of you that is deep. Your true essence is not likely to be very shallow. I’m not saying that a person can’t be living shallow, but that truest part of them must have some depth, otherwise they wouldn’t take the time to express their thoughts through this or any other medium.

This whole blogging thing is still such a new expression of thought and community. Funny thing is, a lot of what I have observed in 8 short months of blogging reminds me of high school. There are the geeks, jocks, popular kids, and the outcasts. There can be bickering, cat fights, outright riots, blogger meet-ups, moments of solidarity, and yes, sometimes it’s a popularity contest.

That’s all well enough, but there is something that I want to say here and now. If I have met you or if we have gotten to know each other on any kind of level, it means absolutely nothing to me if you are a “popular blogger” or not. I’m not here for what you can do for me. What matters is who you are inside. What is valuable to my blogging experience is knowing people. The beloved of god. If I can get a glimpse of your life’s journey and viewpoint, and learn from it, that is truly the greatest gift.

As bloggers, we obviously have a message we want others to hear. But what about the message that perhaps you need to dwell on within?

With all of the noise and crosstalk outside of ourselves, I believe with all of my heart that there is a voice deep inside of each of us that longs to be heard, saying, “You are my beloved, on you my favor rests.”