Unbecoming

As we move through life as human beings we are unavoidably shaped, to some degree, by our surroundings and experiences. Especially when we are kids, we soak things in like a sponge. It is part of the learning process and becoming mature. But despite all the positive ways we are shaped or molded, we also have baggage we carry with us whether we are aware or not. If we are honest, all of us try to avoid being like our parents in at least some way. Some of us, more than others. Perhaps it is a habit, quirk, or even just the lame “dad jokes.” However, there are also many of us who are trying to avoid the darker parts of becoming our parents.

Every person is unique, which also means that every person carries their inherited baggage in different ways. However, the baggage itself can also range far and wide. Whether it is broken expectations, forms of abuse be they verbal, physical, or even spiritual, abandonment, emotional distance, uncontrollable temper, codependence, and the list goes on… Over the course of three weeks we are going lean into this baggage from our families of origin, and through some Biblical perspectives, try and break the cycle so that we can “unbecome our parents” and perhaps minimize the baggage we pass on to those who come after us.