Do you believe that you are a child of God? If you do, and I hope you do, then God was telling you the same thing at your baptism. You are God's beloved son or daughter, with whom God is well pleased.
Think about this, and then ask yourself, what does it mean for you to be baptized? Perhaps you were baptized as an infant; perhaps you were old enough to make a profession of faith and be baptized as an older child or an adult.
If as an adult, then how does your behavior now differ from before you were baptized? If as an infant, then how does your life differ from those who have never been baptized?
Are you, am I, more compassionate, more forgiving, more willing to work for the poor and the marginalized? The early Christians were well recognized for the love they showed one another, but what about us?
As children, we all wanted to please our parents. Perhaps you brought your mother a bouquet of dandelions? Maybe you tried to imitate your father, cook with your mother, do well in school, or get a good job.
Just as we want to please our human parents, we should want to please our heavenly father as well. We have a perfect example of how to please God in Jesus. He has shown us how to live the way that God wants us to live – with love for one another.
I hope that God will be able to say that he is as well pleased with me on the day of my death as he was on the day of my baptism. What about you?
