Today’s devotional: what it means to be human

Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the human condition? Centuries of literature and theology have presented wildly different perspectives on what it means to be human. Some writers paint a rosy picture of humanity and human potential, while others look at the evil and sin around us and declare that to be human is to wallow in worthlessness and futility.

Or perhaps neither of those extremes sits well with you. Jill Carattini, writing in the Slice of Infinity devotional agrees, and describes Christianity’s more balanced approach to the meaning of human life:

In deep contrast to such severe or optimistic readings, the Christian view of humanity adds a nuanced dimension to the conversation. Christianity admits that while there is indeed an error of a serious sort, the error is not in “humanness” itself. Rather, something has gone wrong. Thus, the great paradox of humanity can be rightly acknowledged: we find in being human both a deep and sacred honor and yet a profound disgrace. This inherent recognition of imperfection is simultaneously a recognition that there must indeed be such a thing as perfection. Here, the Christian’s advantage is not that they find themselves less fallen or closer to perfection than others, nor that they find in their religion a means of escaping the world of fragility, brokenness, guilt, suffering, or error; the Christian’s advantage is that they are aware of their own broken humanity within a broken, fallen world because they are aware of the one perfect human.

Read the full devotional at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

2 Responses to “Today’s devotional: what it means to be human”

  • Striving to be Christ like minded, Coming close to achieving perfection, is a far better life than the know it all booze hound, dope smokin,shacked up society that exists now. Lets DO something radical and instill upon our children a church/parent example of morals and charter that builds honesty and trust with one another, positive and hopeful ideas, and history of how past nations have committed suicide from within. I know this is a revolutionary idea to some? JESUS How about that!

  • Jesse.Nz says:

    I know in my humanity flawlessness and weaknesses that there is absolutely no perfection that manifests with in me ,i wouldnt dear Not say that my life has been one of good luck. If I seek the One who is Perfect? then i know that its all from him of how i grow in his Grace,never forgotten , never abandoned, never rejected,never forsaken ,i know being human now and still learning day by day that its gonna take a very long time to Grasp/Comprehend that Word in the bible….(Perfect),i love how the Apostle Paul states of his thorns in the flesh, but he learnt how to master what is humanity and what is Spiritual Enhancement and that can only be done through the One who knows every thing about us…Christ Jesus is his name..King of kings..Lord of lords…The Risen christ…….