Who are we?

Years ago, a famous actor and his family went out to dinner with their young son. As they walked into the restaurant, the actor was quickly recognized. The boy asked, “Why is everyone staring at us?” His dad leaned over and quietly answered, “Maybe it’s because they know who we are.” The son thought about it and then asked, “Well, who are we?”

That’s a great question. Who are we? In thinking about identity, I like to consider, “Who are we in relation to God?” and “How do we identify ourselves?”

Through the teachings of the Bible as illuminated in Christian Science, I’ve learned that we are each the image and likeness of God, the child of the one Father-Mother God. This understanding has helped me during difficult times. And I’ve found that recognizing my spiritual identity not only answers the question “Who am I?” but also brings healing.

God and His creation can never be thought of separately. They are one – or, to be grammatically incorrect but spiritually correct, they is one! This indicates the complete inseparability of cause and effect – of divine Mind and its idea.

Identifying ourselves as God’s creation – His child, or image and likeness – reveals that God’s thoughts are our thoughts. This helps us overcome the false concept that there’s something wrong with us or that we’re incapable of understanding God.

Identifying ourselves spiritually lifts thought to what is real and permanent. We begin to see that as Spirit’s expression, our true being – our only being – has nothing to do with mortality and everything to do with God, with Spirit. This immortal view shows us to be entirely spiritual; the idea of God, divine Mind; the image of Truth; the reflection of Love; the expression of Soul; the manifestation of Principle; the embodiment of Spirit; the likeness of Life. Each of these capitalized words is a name for our all-encompassing God.

We can apply these spiritual truths in practical ways. For example, if we need more courage to stand up to a difficult colleague at work, we can pray to see this individual as God’s image, reflecting only spiritual qualities given to him by God. If we need healing of a frightening disease, we can identify ourselves as wholly spiritual, a child of God, forever reflecting health and harmony.

Every healing thought we need is present here and now. Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, writes, “Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 392).

Identifying ourselves spiritually through prayer requires that we stand porter at the door of our consciousness, allowing in only thoughts from God – thoughts that reinforce our true nature as spiritual and whole, with nothing added or omitted. It means understanding that in God “we live, and move, and have our being; ... For we are also his offspring,” as the Apostle Paul, a follower of Jesus, put it (Acts 17:28).

Paul also said, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16). We are all God’s children, unlimited and eternal. So, are we identifying this God-given nature in ourselves and others? Christ, God’s saving message of truth and love for all, shows us our true, Godlike identity.

Once, after I had spent many weeks in deep study and prayer – learning more of my relation to God – an area of my skin broke out. It was alarming. At first, I questioned how something like this could appear after so much spiritual growth.

Then I realized that this effect of a false concept of my identity had no place or space in my thought, since I am a child of God. It was without real cause, without origin, without place. I reaffirmed my identity as God’s immediate reflection, expressing the purity of Soul, the holiness of Spirit, the law of divine Mind, the perfection of Life, the correctness of Truth, and the beauty of Love. It wasn’t long before the condition dissolved and there was no evidence of any blemish.

As Mrs. Eddy writes, “Mortals may climb the smooth glaciers, leap the dark fissures, scale the treacherous ice, and stand on the summit of Mont Blanc; but they can never turn back what Deity knoweth, nor escape from identification with what dwelleth in the eternal Mind” (“Unity of Good,” p. 64).

Adapted from an article published in the Jan. 1, 2024, issue of the Christian Science Sentinel.