What are HUMAN BEINGS? WE ARE RELATIONAL BEING.

Hey. I don't know how you would read into that question. Do you laugh at it thinking in your head what is the necessity of asking that question? Well, i totally get you. But don't you agree it is an important question since we are human beings and it's significant that we are clear about it because our understanding about what human being is would affect how we do our lives, as human beings. Let's shed some light on it. 

You must have heard of a story where four blind men tried to figure out what an elephant is. These four men because of their blindness, can't see an elephant the way we see and know it. First blind men touched the side and said elephant is like a wall, it's flat. Second blind men touched the trunk and concluded the elephant is like a snake. Third blind men touched the limb and confirmed the elephant is like a tree. Fourth men touched the tail and determined that everyone else was wrong because it is similar to a rope. We all know this story very well that what they have touched as part of the body of the elephant is indeed true and real. However, they alone don't represent the whole animal. A compartmental thinking can be limiting and could potentially mislead oneself. 

We learn from schools, where we were taught, that human beings are social creatures. It is true. We learn also that human beings are different from other creatures because we are meaning makers. We make sense of things. That's correct. Human beings unlike other creatures have a sense of worship. Therefore in the human world, we have religions that show and teach practices of worship.

The Bible tells us that human beings were created in the image of its Creator, God (Genesis 1:27). In God's image means that we are created to resemble God, we take after Him. One part that we take after God is the relational self. Adam, the first man created from him we came from, was created relational. Adam was in relationship with God and with Eve, which happened later after she's created. Before Adam had relationship with another human, he had relationship with God from the very beginning. We mentioned here that the relational self of Adam came from God. Yes, God is relational. The Triune God was in relationship in communion since eternity before the earth was created. We are created like Him to be in relationship with Him and with one another. Notice that before Eve was created, God mentioned it wasn't good that Adam be alone (without any other human). Therefore, relationship with one another, in horizontal level, is how God wired us. 

In this time of digital globalization, I find a lot more people feel even more isolated in a big city where millions of people live. It sounds weird one would say especially where every time we go out the house, we see people everywhere. At our core, we are relational being. Isn't the law, the Torah, the Ten Commandment is law about relationship? The first four are for vertical relationship with God, in which we are called to love God. The remaining six are for horizontal relationship with others, in which we are called to love our neighbors. (Exodus 20:1-17, Mark 12:29-31). Jesus said there is no other commandment greater than these in verse 31. It sums up all commandments that you love God and others by which can be exercised within relationship. 
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When we fail in our relationship with either God or others, we suffer as a person. As a worshiper by design, we would worship. Even when we don't worship God, we still worship. What we worship we serve. To know whom/what you worship, look at whom or what you serve. To be in service means we put ourselves as servant to who/what we serve. In other words, we are servant/enslaved to who/what we serve. If you serve money, you are slave to money. It has power over you. If you serve God, you are servant to God. He leads and reigns over your life. It is only when we serve the true God, we are completely free of any other slavery. To serve Him, you need to have right relationship with Him. Or else, you are serving Him, but abuse Him or make Him as 'genie' to grant your wishes. How wrong and cruel is that.

When we fail in our relationship with others, we can feel isolated. People in isolation can easily fall into depression. Depression that isn't taken care of would lead into detachment. Reasons that prevent people from connecting with others could be from a personal aspect or other people's related aspect. Shame can hinder someone to get out there and make real relationship where one can be known and seen by others. Our shame can block us from being vulnerable with others. Vulnerability is God's way of building intimacy. Vulnerability allows one to be his/her true self that could be hard to watch. However, vulnerability would allow others who love us to show true acceptance towards our true self and to choose to continue loving us. That sense of felt love from others can be extraordinarily liberating and healing. 

While we are still on this side of the world, every human beings are still sinners. We aren't completely free from sin yet before Jesus returns and restores all things. Be disappointed by others, lied to, rejected are what human beings are capable of doing to us. Nobody is perfect, you've heard it said. Also interesting that in the Lord's Prayer we daily pray for being forgiven and forgiving others. This world isn't sterile from sin. We aren't too. True and strong relationship would not be free from disagreement and conflict. It would have its highs and its lows. That is natural. We may fail and we can stand back up and try again to do better to love others each time. Having good relationships with others in life can be very rewarding. Consider this. Many great moments in life are those shared with people you love. Winning a competition is great. But, celebrating your winning with loved ones is the best experience and create lost-lasting memory. Losing money is unfortunate. But, losing money because you business partner cheated on you is the most heart-breaking one. Relationship can either make thing better or worse than it is by itself. Create more good relationships. Cherish those ones you have had. Be relational. 

Reflection:
1. Do you agree that you are relational being in need of good relationship with God and others?
2. Have you invested in relationships with others? Have them turn out to be good ones?
3. Are you currently 'isolating' yourself from social life? Would you see it as fulfilling life or unfulfilling?
4. What would you do differently knowing the importance of relationships in human's life?
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