Minoi

Their fingers touched as they gathered the last few grains of rice from the bottom of the shared bowl. Their eyes met and held, startling each in this symbol of their new unity. Both lowered their eyes, embarrassed and pleased in the recognition of the other’s awareness.

Still dressed in wedding finery, each sensed the other’s anxiety. He, the gallant bridegroom, left the last morsel for her. She smiled shyly and raised it to her lips.

He set the bowl aside.

"Minoi," he said.

"Minoi," she echoed.

In the tradition of the Montegnard peoples of upland Vietnam, a married couple never refers to their spouse by their given name. Instead, they use only the pronoun “myself.” In each and every verbal exchange of their married lives from the first ceremonial utterance to the day of their separation by death, they are reminded of the other as themselves. “Bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh,” in Adam’s oft-repeated but seldom-lived words.

God, sees us, in Jesus as "Myself." Being human as well as God, the Father sees His Son, literally and completely, as Himself. In this relationship we find the only true "Myself" relationship. Each is literally "Myself" to the other in this sacred companionship. There is no barrier between them, no dividing line. They are the perfect examples and only true outworking of this relationship. Though plural, they are so utterly the same that we worship but one God.

As usual, God not only is this relationship, but He shares it with us. He calls us His Children, His own. In some mysterious way, we are "myself" to God; we are joined with Him so as to be a part of Him. He in us, we in Him, echoes through the new testament.

In an even more mysterious way, we can, with trembling caution, call God "myself," in this new and intimate sense. This profound thought, almost too holy to express in words, is the incredible result of the Incarnation of Jesus. He became one with us that we might become one with Him. No longer, like Moses, need we be afraid to look on His face; we are drawn into His presence, we sit on His right hand and are joint rulers with Christ.

If I were to truly see my wife, Ida, as myself, how happy that would make us both. We would truly be one flesh if we could each see the other in that way. As Jesus said, "One does not mistreat one's own self." If I could listen to her, talk to her, work with and for her, care for her from this perspective...well, I can't predict the results, but it is only the lack of viewing her from that perspective that prevents me from doing so.

If we in the Body, could see one another from this point of view and truly put others ahead of ourselves, our expectations would be reversed. We wouldn't come to expect a benefit; we would come expecting to be a benefit. How beautiful would be the Bride, how glorious would She be! How others would long to join in, and how God would be honored. We would each be joined in mutuality and love beyond our wildest dreams.

Could we but see our neighbors as “Minoi” how our love would shine forth; how attractive would the indwelling Jesus be to them; how beautiful would evangelism be and how effortless. Perhaps a world won would not be too small a possibility should we be able to display Christ our Lord in this way.

"Minoi," my sisters and brothers, "Minoi."

1/24/10

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