Article April 20, 2020 Issue

Relationship status: Loved by God

Heidi Kleinsmith Salter

From tax forms to social media profiles, the question of our relationship status finds us everywhere. Even when answering this question is optional, it’s still there, and it can feel as if it’s a big part of who we are.

The first time I had to check the “divorced” box on a form, I avoided it as long as I could, leaving it blank until I’d filled out all the other information. It wasn’t a description I had ever thought would appear next to my name, and it bothered me. This prompted me, however, to consider my identity more fully and to ask, What is it that truly identifies me?

I often turn to the Bible for answers to tough questions. As I thought about identity and relationships, I remembered a story in the fourth chapter of the book of John, verses 5–30. It’s rich with meaning. Here, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. Since the Jews didn’t generally interact with the Samaritans, she questions why he would be speaking with her. 

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