My privilege this past week was to be one of the adult leaders for our youth group at Challenge. Challenge is a national youth conference for the Evangelical Free Church of America held every two years in different cities around the country. This year, we got to be the host city for 5400 youth and over 1000 leaders. (See #ChallengeKC on social media.) This little blog can in no way contain the breadth, depth, and value of all that happened.
One of the events at the conference was the Berlin Walk - a tour through the down-and-out "streets" of Berlin. It was an immersion experience to learn about the enormous problem of human trafficking that plagues the world, but is so focused in Germany, particularly in Berlin, that this great country is called the "Brothel of Europe." Trafficking is not just for sex, but also for labor and other forms of exploitation. The EFCA is ramping up an enormous effort in Berlin in collaboration with many other organizations to bring the reality of Jesus to the city, expressed in ways like dismantling human trafficking.
Most often trafficked are women and children, usually with false promises and dreams. It is a violation that is almost universally decried and battled by people from different countries, religions, ethnicities, and class. I believe the vilest offense is that these trafficked persons bear the image of God, and the very act of trafficking them is a violent attack on that image.
No animal should endure what these people endure, and therefore trafficking is horrendous. More than this, tho, these people are image bearers, and treating them as chattel is a loud lie that they are not - a kind of graffiti of the soul.
As we walked through these "streets" and learned, I watched our youth, also image bearers. Safe, untrafficked, properly fed, groomed, and clothed, listening, reading, and praying about defaced image bearers. They even learned how American teens' appetite for porn on their smartphones actually feeds the problem of trafficking in Berlin (and around the world). But still ... standing there, clean, loved, valued, safe image bearers at a conference to pour more light on what it means to live as image bearers, politely learning about other image bearers who have no one to remind them they, too, bear the image of God. Set in juxtaposition, my heart broke for both our youth and their counterparts in places like Berlin.
I applaud those who deny God and yet still fight trafficking. We care about the same thing. For my tribe, the reality of the image of God in others moves us to respect them, to demand justice for them, and to forsake ways in which we steal from their identity as image bearers.
Yet it's not just because the trafficked bear God's image, but because I, too, bear God's image. And our youth. I want to fight trafficking because they bear His image and because I bear His image. What else does an image bearer do in order to reflect that image than to fight for the oppressed image bearers?
The world conspires to tell us we don't bear that image - the image doesn't exist, God doesn't exist, you're just a more intelligent critter than average on this planet, and so on. The message of Jesus says you are an image bearer, and therefore valuable on His scale. My love for youth fostered even deeper, our love shared with those we served in our projects, and our growing love for the trafficked persons conspire to say that yes, indeed, the image of God is real in all of us.
Showing posts with label image. Show all posts
Showing posts with label image. Show all posts
Friday, July 11, 2014
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
The Value of a Jerk
What an annoying jerk!
Last evening, I was sitting in a Starbucks waiting to meet with one of the guys, reading my book. My nose was buried in a chapter describing how the primary attribute of any person is not comprised of his faults, but from the image of God that He has placed in each one of us. The image of God, the book claims, defines us and gives us an inherent value that no amount of negative characteristics can wipe out.
As if on cue to test the theory, the table behind me was promptly occupied by a man, a woman, and the woman's daughter. The man surpassed annoying in less than 10 seconds, and built on his accomplishment from there. I began to wonder if the chapter referred to every single human being except one.
He interrupted, he was loud, and he clearly didn't listen much to others. He spoke to the girl, who looked to be about 11, in a manner less mature than she responded with. He complained about the trouble he was having with the unemployment office because they "claimed" he resigned his previous job, as he then went on to describe how he left the job of his own accord rather than get fired. (At least he didn't resign.) As he worked on his $4.50 drink (paid for by the woman), he whined that because of the unemployment office, he could not afford to take the woman out to dinner. Which he then immediately followed with a suggestion to the girl that the two of them spend the entire next day at the pool working on their tans. When the woman and daughter left, he made sure that the girl kissed him. I think the rest of the people in the coffeehouse heard my alarm bells going off.
It was therefore particularly difficult to get through that chapter of the book and give it any credibility at all. The chapter described people worse than this yahoo, but they (though real) were mere characters on a page to me. This guy was fouling my air.
Is it really true that everyone has inherent value just because they bear the image of God? Does this guy? Forget the monsters of human history - I need to resolve this idea with this guy before I can accept it as true.
First, there is the false assumption that my list of character flaws, annoying ways, and sins is somehow more meritorious than his. I'm not annoying in his ways, so I must be more deserving of this inherent value than he is. Even if I would score more favorably on some universal annoyance scale, it is false to say that I therefore have more of the image of God than he.
Second, this inherent value comes from an external source (God), while our horrible, annoying characteristics come from an internal source. If the value is external, and if that external source is unchanging, then everyone must have the same inherent, high value, no matter how unpleasantly the internal source spoils the environment it occupies.
Third, if I in any way limit the reach of the inherent value we receive from God's image, then I limit the reach of grace. I have no such authority.
So, the challenge for me is how to appreciate that jerk's inherent value. At this point, it's not his issue, but mine. The reason I have trouble with this is internal to me, independent of him. It's because I have yet to fully embrace how effectively God's image brings inherent value to everyone who bears it. It's because I have my standards that people must meet before I value them, placing a Law on them of my own device.
The chapter wasn't wrong. My attitude is.
Last evening, I was sitting in a Starbucks waiting to meet with one of the guys, reading my book. My nose was buried in a chapter describing how the primary attribute of any person is not comprised of his faults, but from the image of God that He has placed in each one of us. The image of God, the book claims, defines us and gives us an inherent value that no amount of negative characteristics can wipe out.
As if on cue to test the theory, the table behind me was promptly occupied by a man, a woman, and the woman's daughter. The man surpassed annoying in less than 10 seconds, and built on his accomplishment from there. I began to wonder if the chapter referred to every single human being except one.
He interrupted, he was loud, and he clearly didn't listen much to others. He spoke to the girl, who looked to be about 11, in a manner less mature than she responded with. He complained about the trouble he was having with the unemployment office because they "claimed" he resigned his previous job, as he then went on to describe how he left the job of his own accord rather than get fired. (At least he didn't resign.) As he worked on his $4.50 drink (paid for by the woman), he whined that because of the unemployment office, he could not afford to take the woman out to dinner. Which he then immediately followed with a suggestion to the girl that the two of them spend the entire next day at the pool working on their tans. When the woman and daughter left, he made sure that the girl kissed him. I think the rest of the people in the coffeehouse heard my alarm bells going off.
It was therefore particularly difficult to get through that chapter of the book and give it any credibility at all. The chapter described people worse than this yahoo, but they (though real) were mere characters on a page to me. This guy was fouling my air.
Is it really true that everyone has inherent value just because they bear the image of God? Does this guy? Forget the monsters of human history - I need to resolve this idea with this guy before I can accept it as true.
First, there is the false assumption that my list of character flaws, annoying ways, and sins is somehow more meritorious than his. I'm not annoying in his ways, so I must be more deserving of this inherent value than he is. Even if I would score more favorably on some universal annoyance scale, it is false to say that I therefore have more of the image of God than he.
Second, this inherent value comes from an external source (God), while our horrible, annoying characteristics come from an internal source. If the value is external, and if that external source is unchanging, then everyone must have the same inherent, high value, no matter how unpleasantly the internal source spoils the environment it occupies.
Third, if I in any way limit the reach of the inherent value we receive from God's image, then I limit the reach of grace. I have no such authority.
So, the challenge for me is how to appreciate that jerk's inherent value. At this point, it's not his issue, but mine. The reason I have trouble with this is internal to me, independent of him. It's because I have yet to fully embrace how effectively God's image brings inherent value to everyone who bears it. It's because I have my standards that people must meet before I value them, placing a Law on them of my own device.
The chapter wasn't wrong. My attitude is.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
There goes another one...
In our recent sermon on Colossians 3:3-4, we told the story of the imago Dei (the "image of God"). The quick run of the history is: the image was created Unspoiled, then it was Spoiled (but not destroyed) by sin, and therefore was Incapacitated to unspoil itself. Then in Christ, the perfect image was Incarnated, and then it was Hidden in the "new man" of all who believe, and it will be Revealed in them in perfect glory with Christ's return.
In the research that Jimmy Larkin has been doing in "lifestyle discipleship," he has been impressed by a number of writings that describe discipleship as the process of restoring that image within us, allowing more and more of that hidden image to be revealed now. The Complete Disciple by Ronald Habermas is entirely about this idea.
In a conference I attended last weekend about the church contributing to the Common Good in Kansas City, keynoted by Andy Crouch (http://www.culture-making.com/about/andy_crouch/), the image of God was a fundamental theme throughout the conference. Bearing God's image includes the God-reflecting activities creating and cultivating through our ministries, our work, and even the arts. The image of God is also what gives others value, making them worthy of our attention to invest in them, no matter what their station in life may be. We contribute to the Common Good by helping to restore that image in others.
Throughout the years, I've pondered the impact of being created in the imago Dei. It's what distinguishes us from the other living members of creation. It gives us a unique relationship with the Creator. It is something that everyone has, no matter what they do or what they believe. As rich as these explorations have been, I've never felt like that I've even come close to plumbing the depths of this incredible reality. But lately, I have been surrounded by people talking about it.
As we go forward with making discipleship an increasing part of the rhythm of Grace Fellowship's journey, we are going to explore the imago Dei more and more. I pray that we can discover new and significant truths about the image, truths that change our thinking, our ministry, our lives at home and at work, and our worship.
Everyone you talk to, meet, see, and buy groceries from bears the image of God. Every person you see, you can say, "There goes another one." And because it's God's image they bear, they are worthy of dignified respect, our love, and our attention.
In the research that Jimmy Larkin has been doing in "lifestyle discipleship," he has been impressed by a number of writings that describe discipleship as the process of restoring that image within us, allowing more and more of that hidden image to be revealed now. The Complete Disciple by Ronald Habermas is entirely about this idea.
In a conference I attended last weekend about the church contributing to the Common Good in Kansas City, keynoted by Andy Crouch (http://www.culture-making.com/about/andy_crouch/), the image of God was a fundamental theme throughout the conference. Bearing God's image includes the God-reflecting activities creating and cultivating through our ministries, our work, and even the arts. The image of God is also what gives others value, making them worthy of our attention to invest in them, no matter what their station in life may be. We contribute to the Common Good by helping to restore that image in others.
Throughout the years, I've pondered the impact of being created in the imago Dei. It's what distinguishes us from the other living members of creation. It gives us a unique relationship with the Creator. It is something that everyone has, no matter what they do or what they believe. As rich as these explorations have been, I've never felt like that I've even come close to plumbing the depths of this incredible reality. But lately, I have been surrounded by people talking about it.
As we go forward with making discipleship an increasing part of the rhythm of Grace Fellowship's journey, we are going to explore the imago Dei more and more. I pray that we can discover new and significant truths about the image, truths that change our thinking, our ministry, our lives at home and at work, and our worship.
Everyone you talk to, meet, see, and buy groceries from bears the image of God. Every person you see, you can say, "There goes another one." And because it's God's image they bear, they are worthy of dignified respect, our love, and our attention.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Gospel from 35,000 Feet
The most common way that we look at the Gospel is from the ground up. Man is a sinner, sinners are unfit for the presence of God, Jesus came to earth to pay for our sin, and we can have his eternal righteousness and fellowship by faith. It's not a bad way to look at the Gospel - it's clear, accurate, and something we easily identify with. But ... I was wondering today what the Gospel looks like from the top-down. There are many ways to answer that, but one way that struck me as curious centers on the idea of the image of God.
In the beginning, God created man (man and woman, but "man" to refer to the whole lot of us). God had created many other things already - angels, stars, planets, plants, and critters. But He created man to be different that the rest. He created man in the image of God (Gen 1:27). Man is the "image bearer" - he uniquely has this thing called "God's image" imprinted on his being. That image is a reflection of God's glory.
Then, man sinned. Adam and Eve disobeyed God's design and God's clear word. When this occurred, that image of God was not lost, but it was "vandalized." We still bear God's image, but that image in us has been severely distorted, mangled, and disfigured. It can become so distorted that it becomes very difficult to recognize that image at all in someone. This, of course, is grievous to God - not only for our loss, but also for what has happened to a reflection of His own glory! He had image bearers that reflected His great glory, but now after the vandalization, instead of a glorious reflection, it is a tarnished, blasphemous semblance of His glory.
The Old Testament teaches us the futility of man trying to restore that image on his own. How can an inglorious reflection repair itself? It's not possible.
Then Jesus came. Jesus was unique in that first, He bore the image of God perfectly. That's something no one had done since Adam and Eve before the Fall. Second, He is the God whose image we bear! He's both fully God (the glorious One) and fully man (the perfect image bearer). He alone bore the image perfectly on behalf of the entire human race.
When He died on the cross and rose again on the third day, he defeated sin and death - the very things that marred the image of God in man. In other words, the mission of Jesus was to restore the image of God in us. That image can be perfected in us. It begins with salvation (putting our faith in Christ). It continues through sanctification (the process of becoming more like Christ). It is complete in glorification (when Jesus returns and completes the image of God in us).
The Gospel from 35,000 feet is that Jesus came to make us perfect image bearers again, fully glorifying God as we were intended. We can become perfect image bearers only by faith in Jesus Christ, the glorious One and perfect image bearer.
Scripture shows the Gospel from 35,000 feet in a couple of places:
Romans 8:29: Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.
1 John 3:2: Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.
Perhaps this can be a fresh way for you to share the Gospel with others who do not respond to the Gospel from the ground up.
In the beginning, God created man (man and woman, but "man" to refer to the whole lot of us). God had created many other things already - angels, stars, planets, plants, and critters. But He created man to be different that the rest. He created man in the image of God (Gen 1:27). Man is the "image bearer" - he uniquely has this thing called "God's image" imprinted on his being. That image is a reflection of God's glory.
Then, man sinned. Adam and Eve disobeyed God's design and God's clear word. When this occurred, that image of God was not lost, but it was "vandalized." We still bear God's image, but that image in us has been severely distorted, mangled, and disfigured. It can become so distorted that it becomes very difficult to recognize that image at all in someone. This, of course, is grievous to God - not only for our loss, but also for what has happened to a reflection of His own glory! He had image bearers that reflected His great glory, but now after the vandalization, instead of a glorious reflection, it is a tarnished, blasphemous semblance of His glory.
The Old Testament teaches us the futility of man trying to restore that image on his own. How can an inglorious reflection repair itself? It's not possible.
Then Jesus came. Jesus was unique in that first, He bore the image of God perfectly. That's something no one had done since Adam and Eve before the Fall. Second, He is the God whose image we bear! He's both fully God (the glorious One) and fully man (the perfect image bearer). He alone bore the image perfectly on behalf of the entire human race.
When He died on the cross and rose again on the third day, he defeated sin and death - the very things that marred the image of God in man. In other words, the mission of Jesus was to restore the image of God in us. That image can be perfected in us. It begins with salvation (putting our faith in Christ). It continues through sanctification (the process of becoming more like Christ). It is complete in glorification (when Jesus returns and completes the image of God in us).
The Gospel from 35,000 feet is that Jesus came to make us perfect image bearers again, fully glorifying God as we were intended. We can become perfect image bearers only by faith in Jesus Christ, the glorious One and perfect image bearer.
Scripture shows the Gospel from 35,000 feet in a couple of places:
Romans 8:29: Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.
1 John 3:2: Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.
Perhaps this can be a fresh way for you to share the Gospel with others who do not respond to the Gospel from the ground up.
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