Made in his image

Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." -Genesis 1:26

I won't lie to you and tell you the first thing that comes to my mind whenever I see anyone else in society is that they are also made in the image of God, just as I know myself to be. But that's the truth. We were all intended to reflect God's image. That is, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Notice how the scripture reads "make man in our image" suggesting not only that there are multiple persons implied (Father, Son and Spirit), but also that those persons are unified. In other words, man was created to be unified with God. Think for a moment of the most special relationships you are a part of. What makes them special? Is it not the unity that has taken place, usually because of a common interest, purpose, or often times last name.

The reason I'm even writing this is because we have a tendency to overcomplicate things, myself especially. Life is simple. God's purpose for us is simple. It's to show the unifying love to one another that God has shown to us. Instead we make things out to be a great competition, again, something I'm most guilty of. As Americans we tend to think it's us against the world. We're "proud to be an American". When truth be told, just as any legitimate blessing, there's nothing we've even done to earn our citizenship. And the people that have gone leaps and bounds to earn their citizenship in such a blessed country are the ones most scrutinized, persecuted and often forced to leave. Ponder that for a bit. It doesn't make sense. And yet the same attitude Americans tend to have of "this is mine" inherently so, has unfortunately rubbed off into the attitude of the American church. The freedoms and graces of Christ are so often felt to be deserved or earned, and thus divisions begin. Things would be so much simpler if we would just have an understanding of how richly blessed we are, no matter what we're talking about. Maybe you've worked for everything you have, and you refuse to credit your blessing to someone else. At least be thankful that  you're not one of the approximately 27 million slaves in the world right now, because no matter how hard they work, freedom will never be earned, only possibly given. There are so many unmerited blessings that we have that we take for granted, and ultimately we're left broken and divided.

I was tempted to complain about some frustrating issues I've had with my stomach lately, then I met a man in class with me who was far worse off. He hasn't eaten in over a year, but instead has been fed for 12 hours a day with a feeding tube, while his stomach is drained by another tube into a catheter-like bag that he carries around his shoulder. And my point isn't that we can always find someone worse off than us, so be grateful. My point is rather that every thing we have,  every breath we take, every blessing we can call ours is a gift that we don't deserve. Life is an unearned gift from an Almighty God. And the reason God gave us that gift is to be unified with him through Jesus. People are not the enemy. Terrorists are not the enemy. Foreign countries are not the enemy. We're all just broken image bearers of God. If we could only see society as such.

Anyone who knows me knows of my desire to help homeless people. I don't know why but I've always had a desire to help them. I've heard all the criticism towards them. "They've had their chance." "All they do is buy alcohol with that money." "I won't help someone that won't help them self." I don't see it that way. The Bible records David, "the man after God's own heart", saying in the 119th Psalm, "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant". Why would David say that? He was the king of the most prominent nation in the world. Every one of his needs were met. He seemed to to have it all. The reason David made that plea to God is because he saw everything he owned, every relationship he had as an unmerited blessing from God. He knew that the reason he was well off was because God kept pursuing him. Even when David made mistakes, God didn't leave his side. The thing that makes me different from the homeless person standing next to wallmart with a cardboard sign is that I've been shown more love. I can't take that for granted. I can't assume ownership of a blessing I've done nothing to earn. At the end of the day, a paycheck is still a blessing from God because he gave me the hands to earn it.

There ought not to be divisions among us. I know that's an idealistic statement, and thus I understand that I cannot expect any more of others, to break down the barriers that society puts up, than the efforts I myself put forth. I have to be willing to associate with those most different from me, in interest, in race, in ethnic background, in culture, in financial background, in religion, or in whatever else might separate us.

Jesus prayed one of the most powerful prayers of unity shortly before he was crucified, "that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me." (John 17:21-22) I'm confident that the world would believe that Jesus was sent from God if the Christians that follow him would show the same unifying love that he came and displayed 2000 years ago. Go show some act of love that will help unify your family, your workplace, your church, your marriage. When you see someone different than you, learn about them instead of criticizing them. My brother so wisely stated to me earlier this week that you can learn from anybody, even if it's simply to have a better understanding of why they believe what they believe, regardless of how senseless it may seem.

"Love one another... By this all men will know that you are my disciples." (John 13:34-35)
I don't want to have to tell people I'm a Christian. I want them to know simply by the love that I show them. I've fallen short a thousand times, but this is my goal none the less, and I hope it's yours too.