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"So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God;
he created them male and female."
(Genesis 1:27, CSB)
As you may know, I serve as a J-High pastor in the North Dallas area, and one of my joys and privileges every Thursday is to attend chapel at Prestonwood Christian Academy and meet with a group of 8th Grade boys to discuss it afterwards. Last week, we had a speaker talking about bridging the gap between people who are different from ourselves.
Hearing her testimony and truths that she shared was quite amazing! She talked with grace, compassion, conviction, and boldness. She said something that stuck with me, and I wanted to share with you. She asked this question, "Do we let the fact that everyone is made in the image of God impact the way we live?"
Now, if you're like me, you may want to re-read that question and sit on it for a second. Let the truth and weight of it seep into your soul. When she asked this question, I immediately was convicted by the Holy Spirit, because the answer for me was (at least partly), "No." It wasn't a "no" intentionally or out of spite, but it was a "no" out of negligence and not thinking about it.
This past year has seen so much division and strife that this question shook me in a real way. Do I go back to the truth of Genesis 1:27 daily and allow it to impact the way I live my life? Do I look at everyone the same, love everyone the same, go out of my way to intentionally and wholeheartedly love and view everyone like Jesus does? This statement has really challenged me to be intentional with my daily living. It has made me be intentional to check my own heart to see if I am not treating anyone like they are made in the image of God, and if so, why?
So today, I ask you and challenge you, "Do you let the fact that everyone is made in the image of God impact the way you live?"
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