What do you think of when you hear this verse? How do you picture God?
For me I have a picture of a Grandpa, Santa type. He is dressed in white, has a long white beard, and a Grandpa gut. I am not sure what his face looks like, I can't see that. His hand are strong and for me his hands are the same color as me. It's not because I don't believe His hands can be a different color. It's just if I'm created in his image, I must match Him some how.
For you, you may picture him with your coloring and since you are created in His image then that's perfectly natural. I believe we all resemble God. Most of us have our eyes, ears, nose, and mouth in the same place. Our bodies usually have everything placed in the same areas regardless of size. Sometimes someone maybe born without arms or legs, but the place for them remains the same. Think about it I don't think anyone has been born with a nose on his/her foot. Because we are all made in his image.
But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
For me I try to follow God, I try to not judge people when I first see them. Of course sometimes the color of their skin pops in my head, but that doesn't stop me from talking to them. I don't think "Oh no, their skin is different I better walk away." I try to follow God's lead, there have been times when I feel the need to avoid a person. It's not because of skin color, it's because for some reason I do not feel safe around this person.
Growing up a never even heard the "N" word. My parents didn't say it. My first experience with this word happened in sixth grade. There was a girl I wanted as a friend and in order to be her friend, I did things she asked me to. She told me to call a girl "N," and since I didn't realize this was a bad word I did it. This girl did not react too well, she hit me. We all ended up in the principle's office. I learned a lot that day, that word was a bad word and don't do things people ask you to unless you know it's alright with God.
'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' And the second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31
I try to live my life by these commandments. God is first in my life! It breaks my heart when someone doesn't try to treat others as they treat themselves. When someone does something wrong to someone else, he or she needs to be punished. My heart broke yesterday as I read the story for Alda. She is a Christian woman living in a Christian village until Muslims move near the village and eventually decided these Christian's need to convert or die. Her son, mother, and mother-in-law were killed. Her daughter, husband, and her are separated. She thought they were killed as well. Amazingly, even though she was captured her life was spared. The men made her strip her clothing and walk around naked. She was beaten countless times. She was forced to eat mud. Still she believed in God. She was even forced to marry someone else even though she was already married.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
No matter how much we want to live in a perfect world, we live in a world where people can make choices. The choice to do the right thing or the choice to do the wrong thing. No matter who we are we all given this choice.
This choice is evident early on, trust me I work with children. How young are they when they first hear the word "No"? We teach them right from wrong, so they can learn to make the right choice. Hopefully, we train them to love God. I love to hear the stories of children I've taught this too.
"My heart hurts."
"Why does your heart hurt?"
"Because Jesus is in there."
"I drew a picture and there is an invisible person hugging my friend."
"Is it me?"
"No"
"Is it Ms. Diana?"
"No, silly it's Jesus."
Or I hear them singing in the bathroom, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so..."
Or even one who sang, "Jesus loves me this I know, for Ms. Diana told me so..."
I am tired of the wrong choices people make too. Hurting people is wrong, burning down someone's business is wrong, yelling obscenities is wrong.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave us a job to do. We are to make disciples, followers of Jesus. I have been called to help teach the children to become a disciple. Who are you called to make disciple?
Maybe with more disciples, more right choices will be made.
