I have some opportunities for growth in the area of viewing the people around me. This week’s readings have prompted me to do some self-reflection. Unfortunately, I have failed to see the image of God in those around me. So, as I look at the first part of this question, I am disappointed in myself. I see a real need to readjust how I see others. When I start to ponder the fact that all people are “made in the image and likeness of God,” it really changes what I see. Instead of being judgmental, my heart is instantly softened. I am humbled by the idea that EVERYONE I look at is made in the image of God. It frustrates me that I so easily forget this. I am challenged to work on my perspective and to readjust my perception a bit.
When we come together as a community to worship and I look through the lens of all people being “made in the image and likeness of God,” it gives me the picture of a puzzle. Each one of us brings a different attribute of God to the room. When we gather, it is like the pieces coming together to form the “big picture.” In some ways, when we gather together we get a better idea of who God is. Perhaps this is why the Holy Spirit seems to move in these settings more easily. I know that I have experienced the presence of God most profoundly in corporate worship settings. It is hard for me to really put this idea into words right now, but I can see why corporate worship is so important. We all come together bearing the image of God, different pieces of His creation and something more happens.
When we worship God with our daily lives we are fulfilling our purpose. God literally created us to worship Him. When we worship we “become more truly human,” as N.T. Wright says. We discover more about who we are as individuals because it brings us closer to God our creator.
Week three question three:
To “narrate the Story of God with our lives,” means to live life the way God intended. We literally tell the story of God through our actions of everyday life. People who do not currently call themselves believers are watching us for the story. They watch us to see what it means to be a Christian. We tell them by our everyday life. So, we must live a life that is worthy and God honoring. We should be telling a story of love since really that is the point. God loved each of us where ever we were at. God loved me before I loved Him, He accepted me before I accepted Him, and He pursued me before I pursued Him. He didn’t wait for me to “get it together” before I was invited to relationship with Him.
My daily life should reflect this love and acceptance. Just like Jesus said in Matthew 7, I should not judge others; instead, I should love them. This means doing what God has commanded. Loving my neighbor, helping the orphans and the widows, inviting others to be a part of my community even if they don’t fit the mold I think they should. In my life, I can do these things by financially supporting organizations that aid orphans and widows, I could foster or adopt orphans, and I can simply invite my friends and coworkers to church. Really this can look a million different ways. Essentially, it means that I need to love people. It means treating people who are currently not Christians with love and respect. Realizing that it is not my job to judge homosexuals, women who get abortions or drug abusers; it is my job to love them and show them through my actions the story of God.
