Photo by Phyllis Poon on Unsplash
What does it mean to be a human? Does it mean having a steady wheat supply to feed your family through the winter? For most of human history, it did. Does it mean having a brain capable of specific cognitive functions? Is it our ability to cooperate in small social groups? Is it our ability to trade pieces of paper for stuff? None of the other primates do this. Perhaps it is opposable thumbs? Maybe. However, we are more than the sum of our parts (or chromosomes), for that matter. This is a simple question but one of the most complex queries homo sapiens continue to ask ourselves, a question that shapes our understanding of who we are and how we relate to the world around us.
Who are we, and what does it mean to be us? It is a question deeply rooted in humanity's shared religious history and culture. Who are we? It should leave us overwhelmed, wondering where to start. After all, we live in a confused time. Whether you're married or not, sometimes it seems we're all in a dysfunctional relationship where we are pushed to reexamine and reevaluate our wedding vows because they've suddenly come to life. We live in the irony of being richer and poorer, sicker and healthier, in love and disobedience, and due to pandemics and wars, we keep coming back to death do us part.
Life can be heavy and confusing, as it was for our ancestors. That's why the ultimate question of 'What does it mean to be a human?' does not go out of style. It's the one question people have been asking for thousands of years.
I understand this question through a Christian lens. The question 'What does it mean to be human?' is not just philosophical pondering but a cornerstone of religious discussions, inviting us to delve deeper into our understanding of humanity and our place in the world.
Whatever humanity we bring into the church stays with us. Our morality isn't a detached part of our lives; it's in our DNA. The church won't disrupt billions of years of evolution. Our humanity always gets in the way. (For me, humanity and sin are not synonymous.) We are who we are, both good and bad. Ultimately, there is only so much the standing, sitting, singing, and listening to preaching can change.
What does it mean to be human? To be human is to recognize we are not alone. A Christian would say we find meaning in community. Our humanity takes shape in our relationship with others. I learn more about myself because I see myself in you.
Meaning isn't a game. We are not counting the hours and days until we take the magic carpet ride to eternity-whether COVID, dementia, or Ebola pull us off this planet. Meaning is a moment-to-moment exercise. Today will be different from tomorrow. Meaning is fluid. Grab a pencil. Carry a camera. Please write it down. Take a picture. You'll need to remember this moment. This is your life, and it means something.