Bearing God’s Image: Look in the Mirror

Yesterday something really cool happened.  God showed just how big He really is.  Brandi and I have felt “called” to start a class for parents of youth at our church here in Sanger.  We officially launched the class yesterday with 28 people!  Add in the others who have committed or already attended some of the “pre-launch” classes, and we have over 35 people who have joined us!  Honestly, I was hoping 10 people would be there.  God really is bigger than we are alone.

Our Bible study time yesterday focused on the image of God.  When you look in the mirror, do you see God’s image?  Do you feel that you reflect His image in what you do and say every day?  Genesis clearly tells us that we are created in His image.  This is a special place of honor reserved only for us as humans.

When you take that a step further, James calls us out in the new testament.  He warned specifically that we should not praise God with our mouths, and then use that same mouth to tear down our fellow mankind.  That means the neighbor who always parks on your curb.  That means the Dad on the opposing football team this fall…you know…the one who won’t stop talking trash about your kid.  That also means politicians you disagree with, and at it’s extreme – the terrorists and anti-“whatever you are for” groups in the world we live in.

Ouch.  We tend to feel very comfortable and justified in our dislike – or even hatred – of some of these folks.  But, God clearly states in His word that all of mankind was created in His image, and therefore we are all set apart and deserve honor and respect.  That’s a tough one for me.

However, we haven’t even gotten to the deep end of the pool yet.  Guess what.  We shattered that image when sin entered the world.  Yup – pretty much messed the whole thing up.  But God restored mankind after the flood with a promise to Noah.  His image was back in its rightful place.

Today, we see so many people who reject the God they were created to reflect.  We do it ourselves as well.  What we should focus on is what is reflected in the mirror back at us.  Do you see God?  Maybe just a hint at least?  I know what I see – a bald thirty-something who’s put on an extra 15 pounds and doesn’t move around as fast as he used to.  But I hope that under that facade is some glimmer of who God wants me to be in reflecting His image.

So, let’s apply that to our kids.  On a smaller scale, they reflect our image.  The good, bad, and everything in between.  We build up this picture of perfection in our kids, but guess what…they are human and they will shatter that image as well.  Remember with your kids, whether they’re 5 or 15, that discipline is necessary, but so is restoration.  God set the perfect example for us as parents.  When we disappoint Him, there may be consequences, but there is always restoration – no matter what.