"The fullest Substance and the highest Virtue is the blessed Soul of Christ."
Julian of Norwich (Ch. 53)
When we see someone showing sacrificial love, helping those most vulnerable, forgiving those who have been most harmful, going out of the way to do a kindness for someone, we admire that person as the best of humanity. Christ Himself is the source of humankind, the first and ultimate Human being, from whom we were all designed and come from. He is the blueprint or template of human nature. So it is Christ Himself who truly epitomizes the best of humanity. Christ, God in human flesh, showed us what a true human is like - kind, compassionate, loving, forgiving all, peaceable, caring for the most vulnerable, a healing presence to the hurting. We can look at Christ and see our true identity as humans, see our true God-given human nature lived out. Christ is truly good, is truly loving and kind, and so we are, too. Humans are truly good at heart. Humans are truly loving and kind deep down. And when we show compassion to our fellow humans, do kind things and help the hurting or vulnerable, show gentleness in the face of angry taunts or forgive those who are hurtful, we are acting according to our true nature. It is only natural for us to be kind. There is so much good in us, even if it gets buried under sin or fear or struggle or anger. Christ comes to help us rediscover ourselves in His face. For when we look into the face of Christ, we see true humanity as God created it. We see ourselves, our true selves that Christ came to redeem and liberate from sin and fear, lies and confusion. For the good deep inside us is Christ Himself as our very life and source. The deepest thing about us, our source, is Christ, so of course the deepest thing about us is good, is love! No sin on our part, no confusion, no struggle, could ever change who we are. Our nature is good. Our nature is just like Christ's nature, because He is the source of our nature, our prototype and progenitor, our inner spring of life. Christ is in us and we just can't help eventually expressing that Christ nature to the world! It's only natural as humans to do so!
"It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for."
Ephesians 1:11 (MSG)
"We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him."
Romans 8:29 (MSG)
"If reality were to break through, we should reflect his likeness, for we should see him as he really is!"
1 john 3:2 (PHILLIPS)
A Prayer: When I see who You really are - perfect love, I see who I am - perfect love!