A Child of God

When people ask you about yourself, what's the first thing you tell them?  What you say is very telling.  It reveals your core values and how you see yourself.  It depends on the circumstances, but generally, I think most people answer with what they do for a living, their profession, they will talk about their family, maybe bring up their heritage, where they are from, perhaps talk about their hobbies.  If it's not a face-to-face meeting, some people mention their physical characteristics – age, height, eye color, etc.  Usually sex/gender is easy to decipher by voice or in person.  So that's usually not mentioned.  

Lately though, a lot of people tend to share unsolicited information about themselves that really should be kept private.  For instance, I don't really care who you are attracted to.  Why do people feel it necessary to, without provocation, "come out" as homosexual?  I don't really care if you feel like pretending to be the opposite sex.  If you're a man and want to pretend to be a woman, or vice versa, feel free.  It doesn't concern me.  But, it does concern me when you try to force my opinion to embrace your lifestyle, or expect me to use incorrect pronouns to describe you.

Most people with psychological anomalies – or those who deviate from normal behavior – don't flaunt it.  In fact, it seems prudent to keep it private.  If I ask a schizophrenic, or someone with bipolar or clinical depression, or any mental illness to tell me about themselves, their mental illness is not the first thing they will likely mention.  In fact, they probably won't mention it at all.   It's not who they are.  It is an unfortunate illness.  Likewise, people with diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cancer, or any other illness don't tend to bring it up in casual conversation.  Their illness doesn't define them.

If someone asks me about myself, the first thing that pops into my mind is: I am a daughter of God.  That is my core value.  More generally, I could say that I am a child of God.  But sex/gender is really one of the most basic characteristics that define who we are, so it's important to include that distinction.  

I was a daughter of God before I came to earth.  I will be daughter of God after I leave this earth.  Other characteristics may change such as jobs, professions, hobbies, even relationships with others.  Hopefully our knowledge increases over time as we learn and grow.  Our opinions may change.  But what will never change is that we are all sons or daughters of God.

Being a child of God may seem innate to some.  But many people don't know that simple fact.  Many people also don't know that they lived as spirit sons or daughters of God before coming to earth.  Sex/gender is eternal.

"All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

"In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally."  – The Family: A Proclamation to the World, 1995

To those unfortunate souls who face the trial of same-sex attraction or body dysmorphia, I am sad for you.  But as with any psychological anomaly or mental illness – it doesn't define you.  And it's really nobody else's business what you struggle with.  There's really no reason to "come out" as anything.  What does define you is that you are a child of God.  You are a son or daughter of God.

My spinal cord injury is obvious, but it doesn't define me.  I don't announce it.  It definitely has a big impact on my daily life, but it's not who I am.  My spinal cord injury is a mortal trial.  It is temporary.  One day we will all be resurrected with perfect bodies and minds.  There will be no more physical or mental illness. After that resurrection, my body will be whole again.  As will be everybody's body and mind. 

Alma 11:42-44

42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.

43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.

44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.

If everybody understood this scripture, there would be much more hope, and less anguish in the world. 

If everybody had eternal perspective, knowing that they are a son or daughter of God, there would be more joy and peace in the world.  Self-worth would increase and people would be less angry.

Knowing who I am – a daughter of God – and knowing that the trials we face here in mortality are temporary – thanks to our Savior; brings me comfort, joy, hope, and peace. 

The next time someone asks you about yourself, don't define yourself by certain trials, challenges, or hardships you face; or by superficial characteristics.  Instead, tell them you are a child of God.  Tell them you are a son or daughter of God.  Because that really defines who you are more than any other of your innate or acquired diverse qualities or characteristics you possess.

That's my two cents.