{"id":17538,"date":"2013-04-08T10:00:20","date_gmt":"2013-04-08T18:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/?p=17538"},"modified":"2013-05-31T18:37:49","modified_gmt":"2013-06-01T02:37:49","slug":"image-of-god-in-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/image-of-god-in-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking for the Image of God in Others"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheHowever we understand the Imago Dei<\/em>, the image of God in which humans were created, most of us would agree that all people were created in God\u2019s image.<\/p>\n

While some might argue that those who are not in relationship with their creator have lost that image, as is evidenced by what we may believe to be their obvious sin, many of us have come to another conclusion \u2013 that all people continue to bear the image of God in some sense.<\/p>\n

Rather than look for the signs of people\u2019s brokenness, we choose to look for the image of God in them, and in turn love and honor them not only for who they are, but also for the potential of who they can be in Christ.<\/p>\n

Regardless of the condition and situation in which we find any person, we choose (as Jesus himself advised) to love them, and look for whatever we may find of the image of God in them. Regardless of their age, race, physical condition, economic situation, gender, apparent moral or religious position, we choose to love that person.<\/p>\n

Practical Application<\/h2>\n

On the face of the matter, this appears to be a completely idiotic approach. That fellow voted for the wrong guy in the last election, he cheats on his wife, is dishonest in business, drinks like a fish, doesn\u2019t go to church, has crazy religious ideas, and his neighbor tells me he may be gay! Only a total idiot would love and honor such a person.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m quite sure Jesus would approve if I told everyone I know what a nasty piece of work that fellow is. I should be certain to tell all the folks at church so we can confront him with Bible verses that will prove how wrong he is. It\u2019s our responsibility. That way he will know he is going to hell. Obviously somewhere along the line that fellow lost God\u2019s image.<\/p>\n

Impractical Application<\/h2>\n

On the other hand, I can choose to spend some time getting to know that fellow, try to build a relationship with him and love him. Rather than point out what I believe to be his sins, I will look for what I can find of God\u2019s image in him, and will honor him in every way I can. Regardless of what I discover about him, I will learn to love him and let him know I care about him and love him.<\/p>\n

When he asks why I love him, I will tell him that as a follower of Jesus I try to show the love of Jesus to others. Jesus set the example.<\/p>\n

He may brush me off. He may ignore me. He may run the other way. Or he may ask me to explain why I care when others do not, and just how Jesus fits into that. Of course, he will never ask if he knows I\u2019m only pretending to love him and to care.<\/p>\n

The Stupidest Thing I Ever Heard<\/h2>\n

A man said: \u201cI don\u2019t care what you say or what you think if I know you don\u2019t care about me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course there must be exceptions: If we want to keep our job, we need to care what the boss thinks. If we want to make the sale, we need to care what the potential customer thinks. If we want to inherit money from our rich in-laws, we need to care what they think.<\/p>\n

But the longer I\u2019ve thought about the stupid thing the man said, the more I\u2019ve observed people, the more I\u2019ve decided he was really correct. We may pretend, as in the case of the boss, in-laws or potential customer that we care what they think, but in the end we really care about what anyone says or thinks only if we know they care about us.<\/p>\n

Do we really care about what Jesus says if we think he does not care about us? Is the story that he came and was cruelly executed enough to convince us that he really cares about us? Do we need to experience that caring through his followers? Will most of us even be interested in the story of Jesus or in what Jesus says if we do not experience his love shown to us through his followers?<\/p>\n

Is It Possible?<\/h2>\n

\"serveIs it possible that the image of God is revealed through us, those who follow Jesus, and is it possible that it reveals itself when we love and honor others, including and especially those who we might consider the unlovely?<\/p>\n

Is it possible to honor and respect others and learn to love them because we remember that they too were created in God\u2019s image, regardless of the situation in which they may be now?<\/p>\n

A Personal Modus Operandi<\/em> for Life<\/h2>\n

I believe God made me in his image, as he made others in his image. Even though that image may not always be easy to see in me and in others, I choose to honor others and the image of God in them by getting to know them so that I may learn to care about them and love them with the love of Jesus.<\/p>\n

\n

This post is by\u00a0Sam Riviera<\/a>, a regular contributor to this blog.\u00a0He and his wife have been loving and serving people in their neighborhood for many years. They can often be found on the streets picking up trash or hanging out with the homeless people in their town.<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The image of God is not just a theological proposition to believe. It is something to live. It shows when we love others like Jesus, and we see it in others when we serve them. I believe God made me in his image, as he made others in his image. Even though that image may not always be easy to see in me and in others, I choose to honor others and the image of God in them by getting to know them so that I may learn to care about them and love them with the love of Jesus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17540,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[19],"class_list":{"0":"post-17538","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"tag-discipleship","8":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nLooking for the Image of God in Others<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The image of God is not just a theological proposition to believe. 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