Friday, July 28, 2006

Source Of Value

I always want to write and talk about what I think and how I feel, but sometimes I can't find the words that match what is deep inside my soul. I realize the foolishness with my words. Really I have no ideas at times. Who am I after all? I am just an ordinary person with both positive and negative experiences behind me.

Where does the source of my value come from? Does it come from my work? my ministry? my friendship? my performance, past experiences, how much I am loved, cared for or missed?

Stripped of anything that makes me who I am, I reckon my source of value and identity must come from who I am in Christ, not what I do, the ministry I am in, or even the significant relationships that I have with people. I think that is it! It is impossible for me to know even myself fully, let alone people around me. Only God knows me fully! Every one of us is subjective, but who we are in Christ is the truth, the reality of our existence.

How about you? What is your source of value and identity?

17 comments:

Matthew Celestine said...

Indeed, Christ must be the centre of our values and our identity.

Kitty Cheng said...

amen!

Michael said...

By what we do,
do we become,
mistakes and all,
by this we learn;
by what we don't,
brings certain death,
Pray Christ our lives.
we'll live as best,
for in Truth
we are,
we are.

Dear Kitty,
I have read that the Word or Logos of St.John's Gospel is translated as "Tao" in Chinese bibles.
Do you have a conception of the Tao?

Kitty Cheng said...

Hi Bruce, do we become what we do? Or do we become who we are in Christ?

Certainly we learn by our mistakes and only when we have Christ in our lives that we can live an abundant life.

Yes the Chinese word of "Tao" is equivalent to the Word and Logos in the Gospel of John. That's about all I know!

Anonymous said...

i guess my answer will be a who instead of a what. God is my source of everything, even my identity. when i became a christian, i learned to be dependent on Him and not on my own, to be like Him and not my old self.

Kitty Cheng said...

Pia, that's true. It's a 'who', not a 'what'!!

Kc said...

Another great post sis and it's really got me thinking. Regarding identity, we will be known to the world by our love for one another and can only be known to God in Christ. We know who we are through our relationship to God in Christ. I suppose I value that relationship above all else and any good values I learn are through that relationship. I'm still thinking... ;-)

audrey` said...

Just focus on God's love and goodness for us.
He's all that we need :)

Kitty Cheng said...

Kc, I have been pondering on that myself, as I find myself going for other things / people for my source of value and identity.

I'm still thinking too.... ;-)

Kitty Cheng said...

Audrey, yes let's focus on God!

Michael said...

Dear Kitty,
True selfhood is equal to Christhood. We become who we are in Christ by what what we do- acts of love. As discussed before, The Imitation of Christ- living in the shadow of His Example.

>Yes the Chinese word of "Tao" is >equivalent to the Word and Logos in the >Gospel of John. That's about all I know!

That is what I thought. What a wonderful way to introduce it into China. I'm not sure whether it's accurate or not.

I'll say more about it later....
So do you do Christian Tai chi?
A follower of the Dao- a follower of Christ.

Kitty Cheng said...

Bruce, no I don't do Christian Tai chi, do you?

Michael said...

No, I was kind of hoping you did, so you could teach it to me! ;0)

I know someone in Hong Kong who teaches something similar though....

And there is Peter Deunov's Paneurythmy...

The Mar Thoma church in India, is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world; and they have dancing Nuns!

Kitty Cheng said...

Very interesting! ;) So what kind of dance do the nuns do?

Michael said...

Their whole service is quite different to the Western version, Kitty.
The Mar Thoma Church is part of the ancient Church established in A.D.52 in India by St. Thomas, Apostle of Jesus Christ.

A Church meets in Mitcham- I don't know if they give dancing lessons!

Kitty Cheng said...

Mitcham? It's not the suburb of Melbourne is it?

Michael said...

YesAnd I really like their colourful outfits!