In my last blog, “You have incredible value”, I outlined God’s role in our own personal creation, using the verse from Psalm 139 that we were knit together in our mother’s womb. He did not have to knit our physical being because he created reproduction processes into every kind of living being.
Instead, God knit together this wonderful inner personality and identity we have that distinguishes us from every other human being. And he also stamped us with his image, in the very core of who we are, and that gives each of us value and worth beyond our ability to imagine. Sin and the rough and tumble of life may mar, scar, and even break us, but does not erase the value each of us has in the eyes of God, nor his deep, deep love for us.
At some point in life, our eyes are opened to God’s love, his offer of belonging to his family, his plan for us, and we come to him in surrender. His Holy Spirit begins working to clear away the rubble and draw out the person God created us to be.
As we work, attend church or school, go shopping, play football, sing in the community choir, have coffee with friends, enjoy an evening with family, we notice that our view of other people begins to change. It’s almost as if the Holy Spirit helps us catch a glimpse behind the appearance they are presenting.
Because every person we meet, no matter who they are, young or old, of any nationality and background on earth, of any social strata or income level or level of giftedness, it doesn’t matter, each person on earth has been knitted together in his or her mother’s womb. God has given them their identity, their personality, and he has stamped them with his image.
Sometimes it is really hard to see people that way. After all, that beautiful image of God has been crusted over by a life of sin and selfishness, and no light seems to shine from them. We have such a hard time seeing beyond the surface of what people present to us. We see the calm exterior, not the storm within. We see the smile and cheerful, “I’m fine” and not the tears and loneliness within. Or we hear a gruff, angry comment and turn away, not knowing what they are dealing with.
One of the most challenging things Jesus said was in Matthew 25: 34-40, that when we reach out to those in need, and engage with them, we are engaging with him.
If God was active in the shaping of every human being, and he stamped them with his image, then when we see them, we are looking at the image of God, whether we can see it or not. When we can begin to shift the way we view people from what their outside presents, and think of the preciousness of what is within them, they take on a different priority in our minds. We see Jesus, active in their lives. And when they need something, we are drawn to help. And Jesus says, when you help them, you’ve helped me.
One of the biggest social needs of our society today is loneliness. A huge percentage of people are disconnected from family and have few friends. Many are elderly, to be sure, but there are also teenagers who hover on the outside of the circles in school, or the clubs or groups after school. They feel like they never fit.
An article I read recently said that many people who are relatively successful in business and are intelligent and talented, have sought counselling since Covid, saying they are overwhelmed with a feeling that they have no value and continually fight feelings of emptiness and anxiety.
The problem is that people who are struggling with these kinds of feelings, are invisible. We have active, busy lives and we do not see them. We walk past them on our way to the chemist. We may work next to them, or sit next to them in school. They are all people we don’t see or engage with, all people who are made in the image of God.
For most of those people, it is not about having expert advice or the right answer. It is simply about extending friendship.
When the scholar asked Jesus what he must do to attain eternal life, Jesus gave a really simply answer. Love God, love your neighbor. The kingdom of God is about relationships. About reaching out with a hand of friendship. And not just to those who are already our friends, but reaching out to those who are in need. What do they need? Can we give it to them?
So far, I think that is pretty clear and not very challenging, unless you are extremely, painfully introverted. But there are other cases that are more difficult.
I struggle with a lot of modern fashions and trends and it is hard for me to look past the outer layer of fashion and see the person within. I won’t go into any description of what I mean or I might offend someone.
But some of us struggle with some other people. Like those whose life style is different than our own, who are living in what we would consider open sin. That has not obliterated the image of God within them or erased God’s command to love them.
Folks who live in a haze of alcohol or drug addiction can be difficult to get close to. We probably know plenty of those, since it is so widespread in our society.
There are other lifestyle choices that make it hard to love people. That doesn’t mean we don’t have to ask God for help so we can make an effort.
And finally, there are people who are just very different than we are because of their nationality or background or religion or culture. It may take a special effort to befriend them. I spoke about this in church not long ago, and a young African man came to me afterwards. He said he had never experienced loneliness until he moved to our country. The challenge of befriending someone whose English language skills are poor can be a barrier, or just reaching across the skin color divide for the first time. But when we make that effort, we will have gained a friend for life.
I think we need to make a decision that we are going to step out of our bubble, and reach out to those we don’t know, those we wouldn’t naturally turn to or speak with.
I Corinthians 13, a famous chapter we hear at wedding ceremonies, is actually the kind of love Jesus was talking about when he said “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It is the kind of love we receive from God, and the kind he will help us give to others.
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends
Molly Deatherage 