I Am

I am.....

 

How we finish that sentence matters

When Moses encountered God at the burning bush

Moses really needed a name

 

Who sends me?

and God

who cannot really be named replied

as that bush crackled and roared

and the sand grew hot beneath Moses feet

replied

 

I am

I am who I am

 

Who am I?
Who are you?
How do we label
How do we name ourselves?

I am a child of God?
I am the light of the world?
I am a therapist?
A father?

People come to me
bearing their diagnosis as a name
I am abused
I am depressed
I am the child of alcoholics

We must be careful how we name ourselves
how we name ourselves colors how we see the world
and shapes how we live

If I have named myself "therapist"
I might feel caring, or grateful
overwhelmed or humble

If I have named myself a dreamer
I might feel free to dream
but condemn myself for not being practical

We must also be careful how we label others

Because beneath the labels
alcoholic
bi-polar
schizophrenic
sinner
drunk
stupid
slime

behind the labels we give others
and the names we place on ourselves
is a child of the Spirit
a child of God

fully equiped
with wisdom and strength
grace and light

waiting to be found
and named

awake oh children of God
for that is what we are