Wednesday, February 4, 2009

You're not a person...

This morning, as the girls and I were trying to get out the door, and I was still working on all that laundry, Claire was talking non-stop. I think overall the subject was about school, but with my head going in and out of the washer and dryer, I was only catching every 3rd word or so. At the tale end of one of her sentences Claire says, "...so that's not you mommy, you don't do that, 'cause only the people have to do that." "Oh," I said absently, "so I don't have to huh?"
"No!" Claire laughs, "'cause you're not a person!"
"I'm not a person?" I ask.
"No silly - you're a mommy!" Claire says, as she laughs at me indulgently.

So apparently, my fears are realized - I am truly not a person any longer, but rather a mom, which I suspect would be defined in a quite interesting way by Claire...I'll have to work up to that one.
Though this is the first time I have heard Claire express this, I know it's not a new idea. When I was a kid I thought my teachers lived at the school, the pastors lived at the church, and my parents lived to serve me! Heck - I thought the people on television only existed when I wanted to be entertained.
I think it is human nature to understand people in light of their function in life, and forget that they are people, just like we are, with hopes and dreams and joys and hurts.
I think we do this with Jesus as well. We only remember the God part - the Divine, all Knowing, ever existing part, and forget that Jesus was also COMPLETELY human. He lived, and breathed, and rejoiced and suffered - just like we do. Praise to our God who knows exactly what it means to be a person...and what it feels like to be treated as though you are not!

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