You made us all in your image
I think I would want to stress the “all” in the phrase I’ve chosen to reflect on from this Collect for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity. “You have made us all in your image”.
When you look around at people, it’s obvious that we are all quite different in our outward appearance. But if you think about it, we’re not so very different in the way we’re made up. Most of us have two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth, a couple of arms with hands on the end, and a couple of legs with feet on the end. Obviously there are some exceptions to this, but basically we’re all pretty much the same. And we all reflect something of God, all!
We might differ a bit in eye colour, skin colour, the way we walk, the way we talk, etc etc. And there is, of course, the much more obvious differences between men and women. But despite the outward differences in our appearances, we all reflect something of God, all!
There are probably many more differences between us that are less visible. Some people are happy all the time, some are depressed; some are healthy, some ill; some are addicted to drink or drugs, some never touch either; some are homosexual, some are heterosexual; etc etc. And there are, of course, many people who fall between the extremes mentioned here. But despite the less visible differences in our appearances, we all reflect something of God, all!
If we take seriously the thought that we all reflect something of God, because we are all made in the image of God, then, surely, we must also take seriously Jesus’ command that we should not judge one another.
‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye.
–Matthew 7:1-5
Whilst that passage gives us an indication of Jesus’ wonderful sense of humour, it also carries a very serious message, “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged”. We have to learn to accept people for who they are, whoever they are! It isn’t for us to decide that one person is worth less than another, or worth less than us. And neither is it for us to decide that one person is worth more than another, or worth more than us. Because we are all worth everything to God, and we all reflect something of God, all!
I know how easy it is to slip into making snap judgements of people for all sorts of reasons. But, surely, an important part of living our Christian lives is learning to be non-judgemental — as hard as that can be at times. However, we must strive towards that important goal, because we all reflect something of God, all!
Creator God,
you made us all in your image:
may we discern you in all that we see,
and serve you in all that we do;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Additional Collect for The Sixth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council
About Paul Sibley
Andrew Gosden (now 16) has been missing from his Doncaster home since 14 September 2007. The search continues.
Interesting words considering your previous post on getting angry with the council…. if you see what I mean? Hehehehehehe…… funny how the Gospel can be so hard to put into practice, I always struggle with it….. I wonder what Jesus would think of a letter about wheelie bins?
Oh, I so agree with you about the Gospel being hard to put into practice. And I, too, frequently struggle with it.
In a strange way, I think, yesterday’s incident helped me write this piece. Although that’s easier to see from this side of it looking back than it was at the time.
I imagine Jesus would have been far more concerned about the potential for harm that such a letter could cause than I was at the time. And, I think, that may have made him cross. He wasn’t afraid to get angry, but it was always directed at the right people. I just got angry at a faceless organisation, and some poor soul got an ear-bashing as a result — and it wasn’t his fault at all. I did try, and think I succeeded, to remain polite throughout though.
Paul, I was not directing any accusation at yourself! I am always amazed at how Christians ‘preach’ the gospel but when challenged to put it into ‘real life’, they often fail…. I am the world’s worst for this! I always challenge christians on this type of topic, as they usually fall short of the message they have ‘preached’…. it is too easy to stand in front of a congregation and preach but to actually live out the gospel, is a different matter altogether…. what would Jesus do? … he would say give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.. to remain polite is not a condition of salvation, even the publicans love each other…. what matters is our initial response…. Jesus would not even have worried about the wheelie bins… but we as humans find that accusations on us when we are clearly innocent, to be rebuked, we need to clarify our innocent minds. jesus was always innocent but never made excuses for answering back?
I didn’t take it as a personal accusation Steve. I took it in the same way I take all of your comments, which are wise, apposite, and always very welcome.
I think it was John Wesley who said something along the lines of, “I preach the sermons I need to hear”. I try to follow that same approach in my own preaching ministry. And I think in what I write in this blog too — I write what I need to read. Some things I guess I need to read more than others.
Paul, it is refreshing to meet (online here!) someone who listens first and is clearly called by God, as seen in your posts and replies. As you have said before, it is all about LOVE and learning to give it as well as receive it. We are in this together, on a path to open our hearts and minds to more of God and His love. It is wonderful to share this with you here and I am so pleased we can exchange thoughts and ideas like this and in a loving way. So keep up the excellent work and make sure you get those wheelie bins in on time….. hehehehehehehee………..
You’re very kind Steve, thank you. I, too, am enjoying this exchange of thoughts and ideas.
And I shall try to get them in on time… hehehehehehee.