Tag: Genesis 1:27

The Marine and the Imago Dei

My dad went to Heaven in January. As you can imagine, it’s been a difficult few weeks for my mom, my sisters, and for Kathy and me. However, it’s also been a time to celebrate my dad’s life. He was Marine Corps MSGT Johnny Frady, often called Top Frady. He served for 22 years, completing two tours in Vietnam for which he was awarded the Bronze Star for Combat. 

After his military career, my dad worked for the military as a civilian before moving into his third career as a farmer in Arkansas. Even though he was a tough Marine, he was probably the most humane person I’ve ever met. He cared about animals, no matter if they were in the woods, in the fields, in the barns, or in the house. In a similar way, Daddy cared about people and taught us to care about them, regardless of their ethnicity, economic status, or educational background. To him, you respected people because they were people. 

Daddy never used this term, but he instilled in me a strong belief in the Imago Dei, or “image of God.” The Imago Dei is the belief that humans are created in God’s likeness and therefore possess inherent dignity and worth. This idea is rooted in Genesis 1:27, which states, “So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God, He created them; male and female He created them.” This scripture emphasizes that men and women everywhere reflect God’s nature, fostering the understanding that every person should be treated with respect, care, and love because, even if they don’t realize it, they bear the image of their Creator. 

Life today would be so much better if everyone believed in the Imago Dei. A strong belief that people are made in God’s imageleads us to treat one another with respect, kindness, and compassion, recognizing the inherent value in every person. Understanding that everyone is made in the image of God encourages empathy, fosters a sense of community, and highlights our shared humanity. The Imago Dei promotes the idea that we should honor one another’s dignity and value their existence, regardless of our differences. We should intentionally strive to create environments where love and understanding prevail. Finally, we should strive to reflect care and support for the well-being of every person with whom we interact, either in person or online. It’s my prayer that we would all remember to treat others as if they were made in the image of God. If we did, oh my, how different today’s world would be.

* Photo courtesy of Chad Stembridge via Unsplash

by Categories: Church and Christian Life, Creativity, Devotion, Difference Makers, Response, UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Do You Ever Feel Worthless?

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Do you ever feel worthless? Good for nothing? Without purpose? Inconsequential? Expendable? Unlovable? Ordinary?

If the answer is yes, you’re not alone. I’ve struggled with these feelings myself at times.

Millions of people, just like us, wake up each day, go through the motions of their lives, all the while feeling totally insignificant and utterly useless. Often, when these thoughts of unworthiness exist, we naturally equate them to the way that God must feel about us.

In the musical, Little Shop of Horrors, flower shop worker Seymour sings these words: “Poor, all my life I’ve always been poor. I keep I asking God what I’m for, and He tells me ‘Gee, I’m not sure. Sweep that floor kid.”

I’m not saying it’s right, but those of us who sometimes feel they live in a pointless existence often feel as if God made a mistake when He created us. Like Seymour, we feel like we must live our lives day to day fulfilling mundane tasks. For the record, I’m not saying that sweeping the floor is insignificant. Floors get dirty and must be swept. Some people who sweep floors live very fulfilling and purposeful lives. Others of us though, like Seymour, are sometimes overwhelmed with a sense of worthlessness, and therefore any task, no matter how common or grandiose, can feel routine and commonplace, leaving us feeling dry and unimportant.

These feelings may sometimes come upon us because we forget that God created us in His image. In Genesis 1:27, we see that God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.

We were formed in the image of God. That means something. Our lives are not accidents. God made us on purpose. We have worth. We have value. God formed us after Himself. He loves us and has great purposes for our lives. Every single day was planned out for us before we were even born.

The Psalmist wrote:  I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made…Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began. (Psalm 139:14a, 16)

God didn’t create the planets, earth, sun, moon, stars, rocks, rivers, canyons, mountains, trees, birds, or animals to be like Him, though they do reflect His glory. Instead, He formed us after Himself, in His image. He made each one of us special.

Whenever I felt this struggle within me, I pray something like this: Lord, thank You for creating me in Your image. In that alone, I have great value. Help me to remember that today and everyday. Amen. 

Do you ever feel worthless? If so, trying praying that short prayer above. Try remembering that God created you in His image with great purposes in mind. In that itself, you have great value.

 

*Photo by Evan Kirby, courtesy of Unsplash

 

by Categories: Church and Christian Life, UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments