The Little Letters - Day 8

1 John 3 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.
4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.

When God calls us his children, there are a few important ideas behind this assertion. The first of which is that this relationship has been started by God, initiated by God, and therefore is not about what we bring to this relationship. When  you have a child, you know that the only thing this child brings into the relationship is your DNA. But this is not even true when it comes to adoption and the incredible people who choose to love those children for no other reason than they have love to give. Therefore, there is no meritocracy at work. Rather, the love we receive from the God who calls us children is nothing more than grace given and grace received.

Secondly, when God calls us his children, he is inaugurating a reality that will be brought to fruition in the future. Again, when you have a child, you look into its eyes, thinking about everything that can be, that might be, and that you hope for. Our birth into “children of God” is not the end of our existence. It is the beginning of our relationship with God and our relationship with the world. It means that we are going to have a trajectory as children of God that is different and probably greater than the trajectory we had without God!

It is interesting that this terminology, this naming and calling of us as his children is not usually understood by those who don’t necessarily have a relationship with Jesus. This adoption as sons and daughters of God is often misunderstood as a place of priority that leads believers to arrogance. But in reality, this realization that we have been adopted by God to be in the community with God is truly the end result of grace being so pervasive and complete in our lives. Without this adoption, we would be friends of God, but no more than that. God is much more intimate with us than simply being friends. God is interested in creating family connections with his people and, really, with everyone.

1. What does it mean to you to be a child of God? 
2. How can you claim that name today? 
3. Does this name give you a sense of arrogance or humility?