31he is and who he is not. For example, he says that he is love and
that he is not darkness (1 John 4:16; 1:6).
In addition, he has boundaries within the Trinity. The
Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one, but at the same time
they are distinct persons with their own boundaries. Each one
has his own personhood and responsibilities, as well as a con-
nection and love for one another (John 17:24).
God also limits what he will allow in his yard. He confronts
sin and allows consequences for behavior. He guards his house
and will not allow evil things to go on there. He invites people
in who will love him, and he lets his love flow outward to them
at the same time. The “gates” of his boundaries open and close
appropriately.
In the same way he gave us his “likeness” (Gen. 1:26), he
gave us personal responsibility within limits. He wants us to
“rule and subdue” the earth and to be responsible stewards over
the life he has given us. To do that, we need to develop bound-
aries like God’s.
Examples of Boundaries
Boundaries are anything that helps to differentiate you from
someone else, or shows where you begin and end. Here are
some examples of boundaries.
Skin
The most basic boundary that defines you is your physical
skin. People often use this boundary as a metaphor for saying that
their personal boundaries have been violated: “He really gets
under my skin.” Your physical self is the first way that you learn
that you are separate from others. As an infant, you slowly learn
that you are different from the mother or father who cuddles you.
The skin boundary keeps the good in and the bad out. It pro-
tects your blood and bones, holding them on the inside and all
together. It also keeps germs outside, protecting you from infec-
tion. At the same time skin has openings that let the “good” in,
like food, and the “bad” out, like waste products.
What Does a Boundary Look Like?