It is an old theme from the Torah, i.e., "I treat people with honor because they bear the image of God within them." Creation is treated well because God made it. Authority is respected because God established it. People are honored because God placed his image in them.
Yet I sit here today struggling with respecting some authorities. In the past month, two friends have become unemployed because of ridiculous laws or rules. They were highly competent and yet lost their position. Somewhere along the way, the authorities lost focus on treating people as images of the Creator God. The result was that law was respected but the image of God was dishonored. The actions of the authorities did not reflect the hand of God.
The scary part is that I can so easily do the same thing. All it takes is focusing upon rules instead of people. Is he right or wrong? Is she a Christian or not? Do they measure up to my standards or not? All are rules based evaluations of people to whom I owe a debt of honor as bearers of the image of God.
May God be merciful to my efforts and may my efforts be to honor rather than judge others.
Showing posts with label image. Show all posts
Showing posts with label image. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Luke 14:1-15; Right thing vs reputation
All three stories in the house of the prominent pharisee raise the same question, i.e., why am I doing that which I am doing? Is the primary concern of life to do the right thing to those who have the image of God in them, regardless of their social status? Or is life about kissing up to those higher up on the social ladder so that I can climb as well.
It is interesting to me that Jesus was even in the home of a prominent Pharisee. How did he get there? Why did they invite him? It seems a logical conclusion that he was invited in order to raise their status somehow. Yet his teaching in the house were no different than his teaching on the streets. Jesus did not change who he was or how he lived based upon the people around him.
It is hard in this life to not become concerned about social standing. From an early age we learn that "who you know" is a major feature of obtaining prominence. Yet the one who knew everyone, did not promote that teaching. He treated everyone with respect and honor because he saw the image of his father inside them.
What do my eyes see?
It is interesting to me that Jesus was even in the home of a prominent Pharisee. How did he get there? Why did they invite him? It seems a logical conclusion that he was invited in order to raise their status somehow. Yet his teaching in the house were no different than his teaching on the streets. Jesus did not change who he was or how he lived based upon the people around him.
It is hard in this life to not become concerned about social standing. From an early age we learn that "who you know" is a major feature of obtaining prominence. Yet the one who knew everyone, did not promote that teaching. He treated everyone with respect and honor because he saw the image of his father inside them.
What do my eyes see?
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