This summer, our college group is doing a study on relationships. Instead of focusing on the classic, male - female kind, we are looking at one's relationships as a whole. In other words, we are studying the relationships that one has with friends, spouse, children, work, God, environment, etc. Basically everything. Its been eye opening for most of us when we start discussing Gods' expectations of us when it comes to our relationship with our pet dog.
Last week, I taught a class to a group of men about the concept of relationships and how we (human) were connected to pretty much everything we come in contact with while living on this planet. I used the verses Genesis 1:26 - 28 as a back drop. We are created in God's image. We are to rule over every living thing. We are to rule over the earth. We are to populate it.
I don't' want to get into an in depth discussion of what "image of God" means, but I do want to highlight one aspect. Being created in the image of God means trying to see the world the way He does. Treating people the way they deserve to be treated. Taking care of animals the way God would.
N. T. Wright has an excellent quote in "After You Believe": "Human is thus a kind of midway creature: reflecting God into the world, and reflecting the world back to God." Wow! What a concept! he goes on to say, "God placed Human in the garden to reflect His image into the new world He was making - that is, to be the means, present and visible, whereby His own care of garden and the animals would become a reality. And if human was going to do this, Human was going to have to keep in tune with God."
We all have this "feeling" when something is right or something is wrong. Where we get messed up is when we try to start justifying our actions. Murder is wrong. But what if someone is trying to kill my family? Its still wrong. This "feeling" of what is right or what is wrong in the world is "the Image of God". Things become more black and white the more in tune with God we are.
Along with the concept of image of God, the thought that we reign over the earth is amazing. God has given us the ability to rule over everything! However, that does not give us the right to mistreat animals and pollute His creation. We can not rule over something that is destroyed! Again, we must attempt to see this world the way God sees this world. We must be in tune with it, and we must be in tune with God.
How do you "get in tune" with God? How do you "see" people you come in contact with? Do you see God in them? Do you reflect God back to them? Do you view your pets as God's creation? What about those rodents? How do you see your place on this planet?
2 comments:
Good post. How do you like Wright's new book? I'm trying to decide whether to pick it up or not. Are many of these thoughts from "After you believe"?
"After You Believe" is an excellent book. It is mentally "thick", like his previous writings. These thoughts are definitely from his section, "priests and rulers." I haven't finished the book yet, but what I have read has been really good. If you ever wanted to have a better understanding for why we are here, or why we should act "Christian", "After You Beleive" does a very good job of explaining it.
I also find it interesting that our group decided to study about relationships before I picked up the book. Along with that, Wright explains how critical ALL of our relationships are to living a virtuous life. Cap that with starting this month in Kidzone with responsibility and the same verses, and it was a very eye opening weekend!
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