Trinity and Humanity

Lately, I find myself pulling away from my relationships, becoming more guarded, and isolating. Thankfully, a good friend reminded me of the importance of staying connected, especially in today’s world.

As human beings, we are innately wired for relationships. From the moment we are born, we enter a network of connections that form the foundation of our lives. Romans12:5 speaks of God’s Church in this way, “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” This verse highlights that we are made for community since the Church is Christ’s body, and we’re all to be conformed to Christ, sharing life’s joys and burdens together. True relationships involve belonging and mutual care, just as God the Father shares His relationship with us through Christ, by the Holy Spirit.

C.S. Lewis tells us, “In Christianity, God is not a static thing—not even a person—but a dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost a kind of drama. Almost, if you will not think me irreverent, a kind of dance. The union between the Father and the Son is such a live, concrete thing that this union itself is also a Person… What grows out of the joint life of the Father and the Son is a real Person, is in fact the Third of the three Persons who are God.”

C.S. Lewis captures the heart of divine relationship—a life-giving, vibrant union, where each Person in the Trinity fully knows and is fully known. This union is the perfect model of community and intimacy, it is the kind of relationship that God [Father-Son-Holy Spirit] desires to share with us. Through Jesus, we are invited to participate in this divine dance of love and connection, not only with Him but also with one another.

However, just as we may struggle to bring our true selves before God, we often experience similar challenges in our earthly relationships. It’s easy to keep up appearances, to offer a version of ourselves that we think will be more acceptable or likable. We regularly find ourselves skimming the surface of true connection, hiding our real selves behind walls of privacy and guardedness. We text instead of talk, scroll through social media instead of sharing our hearts. Likewise, we tend to show only the parts of ourselves that we feel safe exposing, frequently leaving the deeper, more vulnerable aspects hidden. While we may still be surrounded by family or friends, these relationships can feel hollow when we are not fully present, withholding the authenticity that fosters genuine connection. 

Opening up in this way IS risky because the other person may not return our love. However, the thing that makes relationships risky is the only thing that allows us to be relationally safe!  In hiding, we risk missing out on the depth and richness that comes from being unconditionally known and loved, flaws and all. It is only when we dare to be vulnerable, we create space for genuine connection. It is in this openness that we reflect the relationship God desires for us, and that we were made for by Him: one where love and trust flow freely.

Just as getting close to God requires openness, as Lewis writes, “If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them.” This same principle applies to our relationships with others. If we want deep, meaningful bonds, we must draw near, remove our defenses, and allow ourselves to be truly seen.

The beauty of relationships is that they are not only about the joy of being loved but also the joy of loving others in their authenticity. When we embrace our real selves in Christ, we mirror the life-giving union of the Trinity, a union built on openness, intimacy, and love in our relationships. In this way, our relationships become not only a source of personal fulfillment, but also of fulfillment for the other; a reflection of God’s relationship with us, inviting us to live out the fullness of what it means to be MADE FOR RELATIONSHIPS in response back to God. To give as we have been given. 1 John 1:7 tells us “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another….” This verse emphasizes openness and authenticity, both with God and with others. Walking in the light implies living in truth and vulnerability, which leads to true fellowship and connection with one another.

In John 17:21, Christ says “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” This verse echoes being invited into the divine relationship through Christ and extending that union to our relationships with others. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in “Life Together” speaks to the importance of Christ in Relationships, especially when we feel the need to isolate: “The Christian needs another Christian who speaks God’s Word to him. He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged… The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain; his brother’s is sure.”

In a world that often encourages isolation and superficial connection, let us choose a different path—the path of authenticity. Let us step into the dance that God [Father-Son-Holy Spirit] has invited us to, bringing our full selves, and in turn, welcoming others to do the same. When we do, we will discover that the greatest joy of all is found not in hiding, but in being fully known and fully loved.

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1.) StockCake (EDITED)