Genesis 1:27—"So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Reading from Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer published in 1939, these thoughts are relevant:
· God did not make others as I would have made them.
· God did not give them to me so that I could dominate and control them, but so that I might find the Creator by means of them…
· God does not want me to mold others into the image that seems good to me, that is, into my own image.
· Instead, in their freedom from me God made other people in God’s own image.
I went to an emergency room on Friday where these words came to life. Each of us in that medical facility had different needs, expectations, and ways to express our problems. A man who looked as though he had experienced some rough times was concerned that he would be judged by his history of hard drugs, a woman was exceedingly impatient with the nurse and anyone who passed her way, and I was trying to be the strong one when in fact I was in great pain. Our nurse was overwhelmed by it all and would have agreed with Bonhoeffer: “God did not make others as I would have made them.”
It is always the struggle between wanting others to be like us, to conform to our way of thinking, our standards, our perspectives AND to recognize that every human being, those we know and those we don’t, is in fact created by God in God’s own image. I found it helpful as the minutes turned into hours waiting for my own prognosis to pray for the doctors and nurses who had to deal with so many issues and people all at once. I had to also admit my own weaknesses.
I have a t-shirt from decades ago with these words: “I KNOW I’M SOMEBODY—CAUSE GOD DON’T MAKE NO JUNK!” Those words have served as the basis of poetry, a song sung by Ethel Waters, and words of encouragement for people who experience hatred, discrimination, and bias.
Whether we are in an emergency room or worshipping at Faith Lutheran Church, buying groceries at Fred Meyer or gardening in our backyard, we are “somebodies” whom God loves—scarred, broken, imperfect people—children of God. God wants all of us to be “people lifters”—lifting one another up—affirming each other’s gifts, NOT judging others, or thinking we are better than they are. Paul puts it this way: “Therefore, children of God, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
Prayer: God, remind me constantly that You are the Creator, and all people are made in your image. Forgive me when I am critical of others; remind me that you love them the way they are! Help me to remember that I, too, am your child and you love me just the way I am. Amen.