Creational Interdependence: the Source of our Unity
Did you notice that for the past two weeks Pastor Doug has been talking about unity in one way or another. On Pentecost Sunday he spoke about how the power of the Holy Spirit turned 120 Christ followers into translators of God’s love. They were enabled to create unity by speaking about Jesus in ways that everyone could understand.
June 26, 2011
Genesis 2:7, 15-25, Creational Interdependence: the Source of our Unity
Patti Ricotta, Brewster Baptist Church
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Then, last week, Doug talked about borders; places where people divide over matters like ethnicity, gender and economics; things that narrowly define us as different from each other. Doug encouraged us to become “border walkers” by following the example of Jesus and the Canaanite women. They teach us to create unity by crossing mental borders– focusing more on the things we share in common, rather than scrutinizing each other’s differences.
As I was listening to those two sermons, I said to myself, “The Holy Spirit is doing something here at Brewster Baptist Church, because unity and oneness is exactly what God has laid on my heart to discuss with you, today. I think we may be entering a time when God is going to do a powerful work of unity in our midst!
The Bible shows us that the Holy Spirit has the will and the power to make our lives into a continuous translation of God’s love. All we have to do is be willing, and to pray for his will to come. Everyone who has participated in the service today has been on mission to cross literal borders in order to create oneness through Christ around the globe. But if you think about it, sometimes the most distant border we will ever need to cross is the emotional one that divides two people in the same room. The most painful barrier can be the anxious disconnect we feel from the people that matter to us the most. Whether the lack of unity we feel is from a huge rupture, or just that gnawing dissatisfaction that the quality of our togetherness is not what we want it to be, many of us long for the oneness.
But how? How do we become those translators of love? How do we cross those barb-wired mental borders that separate us form one another? How can we possibly connect with people who are so “other” than us that we can’t get beyond the differences we feel?
Well, the creation stories we just read offer much to show us the way. Genesis one and two are the only chapters of the Bible where we see God’s original plan for life before sin entered. They teach us that God has connected everything in his world through interdependence. Unity is created through interdependence. These stories give us beautiful metaphors for creating oneness in our lives. Let me explain what I mean.
Look at the first day of creation. The earth was formless and empty. (Often we feel like our relationships are formless and empty, don’t we?) There was nothing but darkness and water. So God created light. Then, God bonded darkness and light in a cycle that creates life and gives rest. Metaphorically speaking, darkness and light take turns every day. They make room for each other. Every single day, darkness gives way to light, and then light gives way to darkness. Neither one dominates the other. They more or less equally share the same 24 hours every day. In a way, you could say that night and day respect each other’s space. And, they are servants one to another. Because of the interdependence between darkness and light, they are also servants to all life on earth.
On day two, God took the water. He separated water from water, so that there were clouds, vapor and rain; rivers, oceans and lakes. The rain falls to nourish the earth, and fill the oceans. Then the oceans evaporate to replenish the clouds with rain. This cycle of interdependence makes all of life on earth possible. The water above the sky serves the water below, in turn the water below the sky serves the water above. And this beautiful dance of mutual servanthood in creation continues.
On the third day, God separated the dry land from the seas, and he said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation.” The ground and plants are different, but they need each other. The earth provides the possibility for the plants to grow, and the plants anchor the land into place so it doesn’t erode away. They are interdependent. Not only that but, after the plants have taken their nourishment from the ground, they die and decay, and become one with the earth. Then the ground is enriched and can produce more and healthier plants. And the cycle of interdependence carries on.
Are you getting the picture?
This goes on throughout all the days of creation. Look at it and you will see. But now, let’s skip over to day 6. Here we find the crowning picture of oneness through interdependence: the creation of man and woman–God’s image bearers. God forms the man from the earth (which shows that all humanity is linked in oneness to the earth.) Then he separates a part of the man’s body, and creates a woman. God brings them back together, and the two become one flesh. This is the creation of interdependent oneness in its highest form; humanity.
Now, why does this matter? What does it teach us about how to create oneness and unity in our lives? Think about your relationships. Think about that person–the one you feel distant from, but wish you could be closer to. Is it a spouse or a relative, a son or daughter, a coworker or friend?
Day one of creation shows us a practical way to reconnect by simply showing respect to both parties. Be like darkness and light; night and day. Respectfully take care of your interdependence. Make a plan to take turns with each other every single day. Share the space. Respect each other’s work and give each other time so that you both feel you are getting to do the things that you need to do.
Parents, if you can’t get your teenagers to do the things you ask them to do, see if this will help. Sit down with them and say something like, “I see you are growing up now, and I want us to have mutual respect for each other. You tell me the things you would like to do each day, and I will tell you what I need form you every day. Then we can work out a plan to make sure we both get what we need from each other.” This would probably be helpful in a lot of relationships.
Working toward truly respecting each other’s needs, and giving each other space every day may mean that you will have to give way to the other person. You may have to let go of something you’ve held on to till now. But if you serve each other this way, every single day, soon enough, you will get into a rhythm of give and take, just like night gives way to day, and day gives way to night.
Perhaps your situation is different. Maybe the person you are feeling disconnected from isn’t in your life on a daily basis. But you still feel the sting of separation, and it keeps you from making contact. Or maybe you and your spouse have gotten into some destructive pattern and neither of you knows how to break it.
Think about days two and three of creation. What if, you make it your goal this week to replenish that person in some way. Decide that this week you will do something to nourish him or her in a way that isn’t expected. It could be big or small. How can you be a gentle rain to that person’s parched soul? In what way could you enrich them so that they can begin to grow healthier?
Maybe you send them an email that says you were thinking of them. Tell them something you appreciate about them or that you just prayed for them. Ask the Lord to help you think of some little something the person needs, and give it to her or him. Often the intentional gift of your time is the most refreshing thing you can give.
I believe the creation story teaches us that when we create a connection through replenishing and nourishing our relationships, we can start a cycle of interdependence that leads to oneness and unity. Sometimes though, that person’s soul may be so parched that it will take many gentle rains of your loving kindness before they are filled up enough to be able to give back to you. But I do believe that this cycle is something that God has spoken into the universe at a spiritual level. I believe the cycle of interdependence will eventually come full circle if you tend to it enough and don’t give up.
I know a wonderful counselor. He deals with people who are divided by all kinds of issues. He told me that in his 30 years of counseling practice, he has learned that there is only one solution that works when there is a stalemate between two people, and no one will budge. He said, “Somebody has to take the first step.” I said to him, “Oh yes, that seems like a good idea.” But he said, “No, you’re not hearing me. I’m telling you, somebody has to take the first step! Somebody has to be brave enough, humble enough, and hopeful enough to get up and cross that daunting border, whatever it may be.”
I have a friend named Sarah that took this advice. She has a coworker named Molly who had intimidated her for years even though Sarah is Molly’s boss. In nearly every weekly staff meeting Molly would make some little remark that would put Sarah down or undermine her authority in some backhanded way. Sarah prayed and prayed that God would help her deal with this insubordination. Year after year, God was silent. Until finally, God helped Sarah to realize that, in reality, she is interdependent with Molly, and she needed to find ways to acknowledge that to her. God showed Sarah that Molly is really good at keeping things in order. So, at a staff meeting a few months ago, an administrative issue came up, and Sarah said, “Molly, I really need your help with this one. You are so good at this kind of thing. Probably better than any of us.” Sarah said, that at that meeting, Molly smiled at her for the first time that she can remember. Since that time, these two have had an entirely different relationship. They are acknowledging each other’s interdependence, and as a result they can more easily embrace each other’s differences.
Is God talking to you today? Is he saying, “You be the first one to move, don’t wait for him, don’t delay until she takes the first step. Take the chance, and I will be with you.”
Earlier, I said that on day 6, God created interdependent oneness in its highest form: man and woman. There is so much we can learn from this story, but let’s explore the aspect of interdependence, and then I will close.
What did Adam said when he saw Eve for the first time? “At last, this is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” Throughout the Bible, this is kinship language. In Gen. 29: 14 Laban says to Jacob, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” Again in II Sam. 19:11 David says to the elders of Judah, “You are my bone and my flesh.”
In the creation story, Adam is looking at this perfect woman who must have been beautiful in every way. But he doesn’t focus on her “particulars.” He doesn’t say, “Wow, she is really different from me,” even though she obviously is! The only comment he makes is how they are alike. Think about that. There, standing before him is this gorgeous woman in all her glory, and yet, he sees beyond all the things that we tend to focus on today. He doesn’t say, “She looks beautiful; I bet she’s smart; she will be a high class woman and give me status.” No, the only thing he speaks about how they are alike. He see her as his kin.
Adam has something to teach us here. Remember that Adam and Eve were not only the first perfect couple, there were the first perfect human community. Every other family, every other group, every other tribe, tongue and nation came from them. So what we learn from this first interaction between human community will give us a guide to help us in our own interactions–not only in marriage, but in every other community we encounter.
I believe these Scripture teach us that in order to create oneness, unity and intimacy we need to recognize that every single human being is in some way, “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” We are trained, by our sinful nature, to judge people as unnecessary to our lives the more they look, think, and act differently from us. What would happen in your life if you made the decision to take God’s creational ideal to heart and looked at every person as being interdependent with you in some way? What if, instead of categorizing this one as “in” and that one as “out,” you instead looked for the ways in which you are interdependent with that person and then made a point to connect with him or her along those lines? I believe it would revolutionize your life!
As we leave each other today, look for ways to celebrate your interdependencies with others. If you do, I truly believe you will begin to see unity unfold before your very eyes. Respect the other person’s space. Practice give and take every single day. Find out how you can be like a gentle rain of loving kindness to someone. As you replenish them, they will eventually refresh you as well. Like the evaporation process that absorbs the excess floods waters, what can you do to help make someone’s burden evaporate? Make it a point to remember that every human being–not just other Christian’s, not just other church members, but all people are made in God’s image, no more and no less than you or me. Practice letting the other person’ s humanity be our default way of seeing him or her. If we can keep a running thought going through our heads that says, “This one is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh,” I believe that the Holy Spirit will bring his unifying power to us in ways that we never thought possible.
Let’s pray.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Thank you for creating us with the capacity to enjoy intimacy with one another. But as you know, many of us are suffering from the loss of unity in our families, in our work places and in our friendships. We long to reunite, but we need your help. Give us the will to look past the differences that have too long kept us apart. Open our minds to the ways in which we are truly interdependent with others. Then, give us courage to acknowledge how we need that other person. We need your conviction that you want us to make the first move; to get up and cross the room; to erase the borders that have divide us from others. Put into our minds just the right things to do that will replenish and nourish those we have neglected. We ask that you help us to see your image bearers as our kin –especially those who are far from you right now. You know how difficult it is to change when we have been entrenched in our thinking that “that one is not like me.” Give us the heart and the will to begin today thinking of every person you bring in our path as bone of my bones and flesh or my flesh. And Lord, please, give each one of us a victory in this pursuit beginning this very day. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Blessing:
I leave you with this blessing: May God fill you, today and every day, with the unifying power of his Holy Spirit. May his power come to you in such abundance that the love of Christ spills from you and washes over every one you meet.