How are you?

How are you?

Probably one of the most spoken phrases of the English language, it is both simple and complex in meaning.  In response one could communicate anything - literally anything that they want to about themselves and it would be technically speaking appropriate (though very possibly not culturally appropriate, as my husband points out).  So when someone asks me this question, I can answer by saying, "I'm fine," and tell the other person absolutely nothing, or I can tell them about my day, or I can tell them about my life.  And yet I know, and you know, that if I were to respond by telling you about my life, you would very quickly become bored, confused, and frustrated with the way I have hijacked our conversation.  You might never ask me again.

How are you?

As a child of God, this question poses a dilemma for me.  Technically speaking I AM fine.  Actually, I'm more than fine.  I'm absolutely loved, and I have been provided and equipped for a high calling.  And yet, I live in a broken world, so I do not always feel fine.  So when people ask how I am, I must take it to mean, "how do you feel?"  And if the answer is that I feel something less than that I am absolutely loved and provided with and equipped for a high calling, then I must consider whether my feelings result from a disbelief that demands repentance.

How are you?

Such a loaded question.  So I ask myself, is there a better question to ask?  What ought we really seek to know about each other?  We DO live in a fallen world, and we ARE called to bare each other's burdens, so perhaps we ought to ask about what those might be?  Yet each of us has only earned the respect and integrity in the lives of a select few to earn that kind of information sharing.  So when speaking with someone who you may or may not have earned said clearance with, what would the safe, yet helpful, question be?  Perhaps, "Is there a burden that I can help you bear today?" - no, much too surgical.  How about, "How can I pray for you today?"  Yes.

A few other good ones:

What is God teaching you?

What joy has God given you today?

What comfort?

What encouragement?

What affection?

What sympathy?

Hmm… and I'm still trying to wrap my mind around "participation in the Spirit," but if you think you've got some of that, then tell me about it too, ok?  :) 

*Philippians 2

*Galatians 6