Created In The Image Of God
If you are reading this article, it makes you unique. You are unique for several reasons. First, you can read. Second, you are able to read English, and I assume, understand it. Next, you live in or have an interest in the community around Fayette County, Texas. Finally, it means that you are created in the image of God (Imago Dei). Of all the things that make you unique, being created in the image of God is the one that makes all the others possible.
When you think about it, being created in the image of God is a pretty cool thing. You have a role of stewardship and dominion of the creation. Adam named the animals and creatures and you and I have the responsibility for maintaining, protecting, and preserving it for our kids and grandkids. You also have a moral and logical compass that comes from your Creator. The moral expectations of God are written on our hearts and anytime we cross certain moral and rational lines it offends our conscience. Finally, you have a relational capacity that the other parts of the creation cannot and do not have. You have the ability to have a relationship with God, to know him and worship him. You have the capacity to have relationships with others as well.
Why does any of this matter in a small town paper in the middle of Texas?
I believe that it matters today more than ever before. It appears to me, as an observer of human behavior as it relates to God’s Word, that we’ve forgotten that we are made in the image of God - male and female. It seems that we’ve forgotten that we (those who profess the name of Jesus) are to hold to an ethic where there is no gender, ethnicity, social status, economic capacity, political idealism, athletic ability, or any other thing that divides us.
It appears that we are more focused on what divides us than what unifies us. I do not have to look very far - the editorials are not far from this article. I consistently see, read, and comprehend through the opinions shared that only one side is right and if your opinion varies - you are wrong, you are an idiot, you are scum, and you are definitely not interested in what is best for this community. (Insert sigh here).
How about seeking to comprehend what you do not agree with or better yet, understand? Seek to gain a fuller understanding of what you’re struggling with. I know that is not the easy way. The easy way is to open your mouth and shout. It reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses that says, “Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart.”
Can I challenge you? Why don’t we work on keeping our listening ears open (you have two ears) and move our lips less (you have one mouth) as you seek to listen and understand your neighbors’ thoughts.
A good working definition of understand that comes from ol’ Merriam-Webster states that understand “means to mentally grasp, comprehend, or be fully aware of the meaning, significance, or nature of something. It involves processing information to make sense of ideas, languages, situations, or a person’s behavior, and often extends to showing empathy or inferring information based on what you have heard or observed.” That means to understand, truly understand, is work - listen, ask questions, listen more, ask more questions, and so on.
So, as someone who is the Imago Dei and has the unique ability to relate to God and your neighbors on a deep level, why would you settle for trying to out shout someone who wants the best for their family and yours? Would it not be better for us to sit across a table with a cup of coffee and listen to our neighbor?
I’ll meet you at Latte on the Square this week . . . I’m listening.